Finding Him
by rakenrol
Summary: A girl finds herself in the maze of deception, forced to abandon her old normal life for a dangerous life that awaits her, right after her father was kidnapped. Romance flares between her and one and one of the Weiss boys.
1. The White Rabbit

** Finding Him  
Chapter 1 : The White Rabbit  
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  
  
It had been nine weeks and three days since I last saw him. That day that my heart seemed to have stopped instinctively and the night it rained so hard I was almost afraid it would never rain again for a hundred years.   
  
Three days after, my nightmare reawakened. I could not remember since when I had it, but these nightmares hunted me as far as I could remember. Ironic but also as recent as I could recall. It all seemed like a part of my whole life at the same time a some kind of alien invasion attempting to shatter my sanity.   
  
It would start with distorting the images around me - everything. It would circle, dance and spin so fast that my head would seem to spin too. Then there were voices. Voices that only existed in my head. Yet it was foreign. Then everything would be gone, even the sounds. I could only hear nothing but deafening silence, at the same time see nothing but blackness- entire blackness.  
  
Then I could not remember anything else.  
  
Then I would wake up in the least expected places to find myself in - a hospital, a prison, somebody else's bed or just about everywhere. Sometimes, I would even find my clothes torn if I was not completely naked.   
It was a proof that what I heard and saw was nothing from fantasy. It was real. All real.  
  
And it horrified me.  
  
  
I never told this sickness of mine to anybody. I intended to tell the only living family I had , my father about it, despite the fear that, like any other sane and concerned individual, he would send me to a mental hospital. I was sane enough, and wanted to talk to him about my 'disease'. But the very next day, he disappeared. My father disappeared.   
  
And he hadn't returned.   
  
I had reported it to the police. Of course, they paid me no attention when he was just missing for   
less than 24 hours. But it was raining hard. Too hard.   
  
God, I hate the rain.  
  
I knew something was bad. Something else could happen in a span of 24 hours. But the cops didn't understand it. And I was just as clueless and helpless like anybody else.   
  
After 24 hours and my father had not returned, I reported it to the cops once again. It was like an I-told-you-so stuff and the cops didn't like I-told-you-sos so they sent me away and told me to "leave the matters in their hands." Ha. As if. But what choice I had? I was attending m final year in college. I had my job as a karate/fencing instructor at a nearby dojo. I also had to take care of the temple of my late grandpa. I had my responsibilities and duties I could not just leave.  
  
Four days later after his disappearance and two days of vain attempt to live a normal life, I've had my 'disease' again. It happened longer, and more menacing than the previous occurrence. Whoever was doing it to me was mastering the entrance and exit of my mind more and more as time passed by. As they say, practice makes perfect. For my case, practice makes insane.  
  
This incident told me I better stop teaching temporarily and take a retreat to the safest place I know of - the temple. But still the 'disease' hunted more and more, this time every incident grew longer and stronger than the previous ones, and more frequent.  
  
First in that insane week happened early in the morning, probably around nine o clock. My images   
swirled , voices shouted at ears, loud enough for me to get deaf but not loud enough for other people to hear. The same ritual. But when I woke up, I found myself inside the toilet of a mall. I scrambled outside to find a figure striding ahead of me - and he resembled my father very much, that I ran after him. But he disappeared amongst throngs of people   
  
Next one the next day at lunch. I saw him - my father - he was at the park. Again I ran after him only to lose him again.  
  
Same things happened. I saw figures of my father everywhere, but he never came back. He never showed himself to me aside from his back or if he was facing me he was too blurred up or there was only a silhouette of him visible. Some of these may be dreams already, but as I said this life of mine had become rather confusing. I could no longer tell the reality and the fantasy. Dozens of questions hunted me.   
  
Then other visions came. That of Kikuchi Mariko, my father's fiancée and then these boys at some flower shop along with many flowers and then some girls. It was all so vivid, so real, that in fact, it may be real.   
  
My worst fear came. Well, it may not be my worst, but it was a thing I dreaded to happen. A vision came. Then I woke up to find myself in a house. A room. Full of blood. A dagger in my hand while the other hand held Kikuchi's neck. She was dead.  
  
I killed her.  
  
Then these boys came. Whoever they were they didn't seem to be from the cops. But I was, for some reasons, in a disguise , as though I had planned these things before hand. A male black suit, a mask of a rabbit on my face, a dagger, a gun and one more dagger. I was able to escape the boys, whoever they were. But the incident changed my whole life.   
  
From a normal college girl facing the problems of normal life, I had become a criminal. Things really happened so fast I was afraid to be left behind.  
  
The same questions haunted me. How could I do such thing? Could I really do something like that?  
  
Everybody knew I was not in good terms with Kikuchi Mariko, but never in my whole life could I commit such crime to that woman. She may be a bitch, I know, but I never thought lowering myself to sinning for her sake. Not even a fraction of my imagination.  
  
The name was everywhere : White rabbit Wanted for Murder.   
  
And I was the first suspect.   
  
What more, my sudden disappearance added insult to injury.   
  
There were, according to the paper at least, witnesses. But as far as I know, the only witnesses were but those boys.   
  
The only one who ever trusted me was the temple keeper, old Amaru. He did not fear me. In fact he kept me safe in the temple, hid me from the cops. I confronted him about it - 'my crime'. And he believed me. I then decided to tell him about my 'sanity' problems.   
  
Until I killed him next.   
  
I wasn't even able to tell him. Poor Amaru.  
  
The name was on the paper once. White Rabbit strikes Again. It sent shudders down  
my spine. But I went on hiding.  
  
  
Visions came once again; or maybe it was real. But who was I to know? The same stuffs : the boys, Mariko , the girl and my father who this time, I saw his eyes with rage. Then some added flavors that turned it from worse to worst : Amaru. Everybody, including my father must have hated me.   
  
I was in a hiding. Everybody seemed to stalk after me. But these people- poor people, I was afraid I may kill them. I feared everything. I feared my disease would suddenly come when I was in public and I would kill everybody in my way. I feared, most of all, myself. It was like some sort of evil was awakened from the depths of my being. I wanted it all to stop. But I was too helpless.   
  
I was running out of money, jumping from one hotel then to another, an apartment, everywhere to protect my identity. I knew it would be best that I would be caught and placed in jail for the crimes I committed, or in the mental asylum to get my mind fixed but the thought of my lost father stopped me from turning myself in. The cops were no good. It was more than a month already, and they still got no idea  
about him.   
  
In my despair, I found myself, one late afternoon walking at the local cemetery where my late mother was buried. It was the only place where I know I could hurt no one. I could not hurt the dead. At least it was nice that I still had my limitations. I was still human.   
  
I slumped down before her grave, crying.   
  
It rained hard.   
  
Minutes later, I heard someone. He was walking towards me, then stopped to kneel to the grave not very far off my mother's.  
  
I stopped crying.  
  
The visions suddenly interrupted.  
  
But I was determined to fight it. It was only then that I realized maybe I could fight it. I could give it a try. It's better than just giving up.  
  
My head throbbed. The visions blurred. The voices waned. But it was fighting its way to my mind. I stood up , walking farther away from the person who may be a potential victim of mine. In case I lose.   
  
Unable to take it, I screamed, holding both ears with my hands as I scrambled away.   
  
  
  
NOOO!  
  
  
  
But it was too powerful. Whoever who was raping my mind was too powerful. Probably it had become   
quite powerful. If only I had figured earlier I could actually fight it, the maybe it had not become that powerful over me.  
  
I screamed and screamed.   
  
My hand found the dagger kept in my chest, despite that it was really against my will. A part of me wanted to give up. It would be better if I would be completely under the spell. At least I wouldn't have to witness my own crime. But a part of me was saying I didn't do it, and I could prove it if I could see with my own eyes I committed no crime.  
  
I decided to warn that someone to leave. But it sounded more of deranged cry of a lunatic than as a warning. He must leave before I kill him.  
  
But he didn't seem to budge. Wasn't even scared. Then something came to my mind. If I kill myself then......  
  
It rained harder.  
  
"What are you doing?" A rock hit my hand. I lost the dagger.  
  
  
My sight was blurred. I could not see right. Half of what I saw was from the images my mind was insisting I should see, or at least someone controlling my mind wanted me to see, and the other half of reality. Blended together, it was confusing, scaring and making me insane.   
  
My head throbbed harder.  
  
I knelt down to feel for the dagger. There was mud all over me.  
  
"What are you doing?" the voice repeated. He seemed nearer.  
  
"Leave me alone! Mind your own business!" I screamed at him. I felt the dagger and took it, but whoever that someone was, that nosy someone was, took it away. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"  
  
"I'd love to. But I'm leaving you alone alive. " the nosy someone continued in his calm voice.  
  
"Kill me. Kill me now," I ordered him. No. It was a plead.  
  
"No one orders me around."  
  
"Please. Kill me."  
  
He seemed to kneel down to level my face. "I don't hurt women. At least not women as helpless as you are."  
  
"I'm not helpless. I'm..a criminal.."  
  
"That makes two of us."  
  
My eyes cleared. I began to see again.   
  
I was crying.   
  
He was a guy not older than I was. Red hair. Narrow eyes. Tall and well built. An earring dangled on his left ear. I glared at him straight in the eyes, tears running my face. Or maybe it was the rain.  
  
"You don't understand, mister. Give me back my knife or..or.." I stammered. Or what? I wasn't about to say I was going to kill him or was I?  
  
God. Maybe it was my intention to kill. The intention was merely facilitated.   
  
He was taller than I was. He looked like he knew how to fight. A coat. What could be inside that coat? A gun probably? He could kill me if he wanted to.   
  
But that was the problem. He didn't want to kill me.  
  
"Give me back my knife, mister. Just give it back." My voice shook.  
  
He just stared back at me with the same calm expression. "Don't order me around." He began walking away.   
  
The images were returning. It was a torture. Maybe it was a good idea that he kept the dagger. But wait. I had a gun. My hand felt for it by my waist. Breathing hard, I put it against my chin and pulled the trigger. 

  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	2. The Boys

** Finding Him  
Chapter 2 : The Boys   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  
  
My eyes opened feebly, then shut once more as the light seemed right too bright for my eyes to handle. I guess I was already getting used to live in darkness that I could no longer muster the light.   
  
I was in a bed. Alive, much to my dismay. It wouldn't be hell; and I didn't think I'd pass to heaven after what I had done. Wherever I was, I had no idea and no memory came to my mind.   
  
A pleasant boy greeted me with a kind smile. It was only then that I realize I was actually with someone in the room. He was arranging the curtains to let the light seep in. "Good morning. You are Kanzaki Kasumi, right?"  
  
"Who are you? Where am I?" was all I could reply to his greeting.   
  
He sat down on a chair by the foot of the bed, never losing his grin. He reminded me of my students at the dojo." Aya brought you home last night. He said he found you unconscious at the streets."  
  
"Is that so?" I asked him. For a long while, nothing came to my mind. At first, I thought all those - my suicidal attempt - was merely a dream and that I was indeed found lying unconscious in the streets. Later, when I saw the guy Aya who was no other than the character in my presupposed dream, I realized he said what he said to save my face. Why, wasn't he a criminal as he claimed? He sure didn't look and act like one.  
  
Just like me.   
  
Looks sure are deceiving.  
  
The pleasant boy introduced himself as Tsukiyono. Tsukiyono Omi. And I introduced myself. Though I intended not to be too close to anybody, I couldn't help being nice to him. He was even nicer to me than  
that Aya guy. He told me not to move a finger and he would bring me food to eat. He then   
disappeared.   
  
My eyes veered to the window where flowers..beautiful flowers were draped on.  
  
Whenever I was sick , my students usually pay me a visit. And it would feel very very nice.  
  
"So it wasn't a dream.." I began, sensing the Aya guy watching me from the door.  
  
He didn't answer.  
  
"Why did you save me?" I pressed once more, turning my head to look at him.  
  
His apathetic face remained apathetic. "That isn't a very polite way to say thank you."  
  
"I told you, mister --"  
  
"Fujimiya. Fujimiya Aya."  
  
"I told you Mister Fujimiya --"  
  
"And don't call me mister. Aya."  
  
"I told you Aya. I'm a criminal."  
  
"I told you that too, didn't I?"  
  
"You're not taking me seriously again!" I cried angrily at him. Why was he thinking I was joking? I wasn't even smiling.   
  
"You're being judgmental. And let me tell you one thing - your judgements are misleading you. "  
  
He wasn't smiling either.  
  
Omi came back. It was nice he interrupted because Aya's presence comforted me none. The taller guy left quietly. Omi began helping me in every way he could. I wonder if they were related or something. I don't think anybody could stand staying with that pissed off Fujimiya guy.   
  
  
Later I learned with Omi's help that they were not related. Two other guys were introduced to me - a long haired girl crazy Kudou Yoji and a short haired guy Hidaka Ken. None of them were blood related. Just business associates over a flower shop which was where I was.   
  
The three guy were kind and pleasant to me. Because I was too weak, I was requested by Tsukiyono to stay there for a while. Accidentally, he stumbled over asking my identity. And accidentally  
I told him.  
  
"I'm gonna call your family , Ms. Kanzaki and tell you're here with us, recovering. Just tell me their number of where and when I contact them."  
  
My eyes landed on the flowers. "I don't have a family," I answered flatly.   
  
He apologized repeatedly. I assured him there was no need to. "Believe me, boy. We all commit mistakes."  
  
And for my case, it was unknowingly.   
  
  
During the day, they busied themselves in the flower shop. I remained at one room in the same structure. Not really bed ridden, but I scarcely left the bed. That bed had become a sanctuary to me. For what seemed like the longest yet the shortest time, I was not haunted by my 'disease'.  
  
Then one stormy night, it came. It no longer haunted me while I was awake. Whoever responsible realized I was learning to fight it, and decided to visit me when I was powerless to do anything - during my sleep.   
  
While I succeeded in forgetting most of the visions I saw, this 'dreams' came more of as a reminder. I saw the boys , the flower shop, Mariko, my father and a girl. The boys..they were Omi and his friends. And they were the same witnesses over my crime.  
  
Then total blackness.   
  
  
I had a dream. Dream of flowers. Flowers everywhere. Very very nice. I wish it never had to end. I had not of any nice dream like that for such a long time, so long I could barely recall.   
  
However, the reality I woke up with was not as bad as my dream was good. It was worse.   
  
A voice kept asking. It wasn't the same voice I was hearing. It was calm and cold, but unlike the other voices I hear, it wasn't a nightmare to hear it. It comforted me. But only for a while before I opened my eyes.  
  
"Where am I?" I asked, blinking my eyes open. Nothing clear registered. All are blurred.  
  
The first thing that I saw clear was a blade. A blade directed to my face. Everything clarified. It was dark. My rabbit mask was torn into halves at the ground. I was wearing the same male black suit, with gloves. All my three weapons were thrown to the ground.   
  
Fujimiya Aya had cornered me. His eyes were furious. I stared back at him blankly. "What the--"  
  
"I didn't expect this," he said without much emotion.  
  
I didn't either.  
  
I looked at him. He wore almost the same clothes I had - dark colors. As though he was involved in some kind of illegal business as I was. My eyes fell on my gloved hands.   
  
Blood.  
  
I screamed, jumping back. "What have I done? What --" I was going to scream some more but the voice in my head began talking distinctly. So distinct, I thought it was Aya. I watched him, horrified. "It's you..you..You're raping my mind..You --" And I tried to get away from him, never been really scared in my whole entire life before in meeting the source of evil.   
  
The voice became louder. It wasn't Aya. So who was it? Why was it that my sight was not blurred? I only hear the voice when I was not seeing anything. I stepped back, further away from him.   
  
The voice began talking. It was telling me to repeat after it.  
  
I  
  
I  
  
will  
  
will  
  
kill  
  
kill  
  
you  
  
you  
  
  
  
NO!  
  
kill you  
  
  
I covered my ears, began screaming. Stay away! Stay away! Leave me alone! Who are you? Why are you doing this to me? LEAVE ME ALONE!  
  
kill you  
  
I retreated at the farthest corner I could until there was nowhere else to go . I was slumping down to the ground.   
  
I will kill you  
  
PLEASE! NO!  
  
I can't kill.   
Again.   
  
I began to cry.   
Again.  
  
Leave me alone.  
  
Aya began striding closer. Then I could not remember anything else.   
Again.  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	3. The Deal

** Finding Him  
Chapter 3 : The Deal   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  
Upon opening my eyes, I was in a bed, my head throbbing. I was in a new set of clothes - clean clothes, fruits and flowers on the table beside the bed. It was not my room back in the flower shop but it was just as good.  
  
"Hello there. I'm Aya," a feminine voice greeted me cheerfully.   
  
I looked at the speaker. Long braided hair. Kind smile. Very angelic face. A girl.  
  
"Aya? I thought Aya was a --" Oh. So Aya Fujimiya was a dream. Just a dream.   
  
"Oh you're talking about my brother. His name is Ran but he used my name before and now he's pretty known as Aya. You can call him Ran if you want to. Are you hungry?" With a smile on her pretty face, she went beside me and offered me food.   
  
Aya Fujimiya, the girl, was far kinder and more accommodating than her brother. I liked her a lot. It was not hard to. She assisted me in everything and treated me like the way Omi did, not like the way I deserved to be treated. She stayed with me most of the time, tucked me in bed, cooked me food, lent me her clothes which were by the way, too small for me, so she bought a new set of clothes in larger size, talked to me and made me smile.  
  
Ran then came in an orange sweatshirt and jeans, not the thief suit I saw him in, and interrupted us. He nodded at his sister silently and she obediently understood him, left the room with a grin.   
  
While we were alone, he began questioning me with his cold eyes locked with my own. "Who ordered you to do what you did yesterday night?? Tell me."  
  
Do what? I asked myself mentally. I didn't voce it out, though.   
  
I didn't turn my head away. I stared back at him straight in the eyes though I didn't know what he was talking about. What did I do? "I don't know."  
  
"So you don't know."  
  
"Call me insane but I swear I don't know anything."  
  
For a while he just stared at me, then turned on his heel to leave.  
  
"Wait, Ran. "  
  
He stopped at the sound of his own name.  
  
"What did I do?"  
  
He threw me the paper.  
  
White Rabbit Murders Two Students  
  
Oh My God.  
  
My hand crushed the paper as my head fell down on the pillow helplessly. "I've done it again," I whispered to myself, tears pouring from my eyes. Furiously, I punched the bed, cursed myself.   
  
Ran just watched me silently.  
  
"I told you I am a criminal," I told him. "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?"  
  
"I never lose that chance, Kanzaki. I can always kill you if I want to."  
  
"And why don't you kill me now?"  
  
"Stop questioning my decisions."  
  
I turned to him. "Can't you see, Fujimiya? I'm some kind of a maniac. Sooner or later, many innocent lives will be lost because of me alone, and I am so powerless to do anything about it. I can't control myself. So you better end it now before it gets worse!"  
  
"I will do what I want to when I want to."  
  
"Just do it! Kill me now! I don't think you can do anything about this either."  
  
"Why don't we give it a try?"  
  
A light of hope came to my eyes, and I stopped crying to gaze at my him, hopefully my savior. "Will you..help me? Try to stop me any way you can." I croaked out weakly.   
  
Turning on his heel once more, he said nothing and did nothing but I knew it was a yes.   
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Don't thank me yet. Because later on, I may have to kill you."  
  
"It's a deal then."  
  
  
I stayed with the siblings since then. They were staying in an apartment, with Ran taking care of the expenses, Aya running the household and me as the parasite. I could not go home anymore. It was under investigation by the authorities. On the other hand, the temple was under some other temple keeper replacing old Amaru. But I could not bring myself to go there either, not even from the gates. The memory of old Amaru haunted me for the crime I did. Besides, it was also under some supervisions. The White Rabbit was, after all, making its way to be one of the most wanted.  
  
I lived my life. Not the way I used to, but at least, I'd like to think it was better. Better than when I stayed alone. I could no longer teach at the dojo, nor go to school. My presence would pose danger for many innocent lives. But I could not stay as a parasite either. I wanted to help run the household.   
  
The dreams stalked after me. It never stopped. There was the constant mind invasion where I saw visions, heard voices, screamed to death.   
  
But we kept the deal.   
  
Ran tried to help me. I didn't know if Aya was aware of this, and my real identity as the White Rabbit, but if she did ,she didn't treat me any less good. In fact she was still nice to me, and welcomed me in their home, which I hesitated to take. My greatest fear would be hurting her, but Ran promised me he'd protect his sister to the fullest, and he'd kill me if he had to. I thanked him for that.   
  
I decided to get a job. But I was afraid. Afraid of myself. I confronted Ran about it.  
  
"I want to help," I said firmly as I walked past the dining table where he was eating all alone after arriving one late night. I had just taken bath and was in a bathrobe, a towel wrapped on my wet hair.   
  
  
He said nothing. His front to me was still cold, nonetheless, I had seen the way he treated his sister with affection.   
  
"I intend to get a job."   
  
"Do you know what the means?" he asked without looking at me.  
  
"Income."  
  
"And loss."  
  
"But I want to help."  
  
"No one is asking your help."  
  
I sighed. But I would not yield. "But --"  
  
He cut me short stiffly. "Fine. Do what you want."   
  
I was going to say something, but just let it all go. Just as he said, do what I want. Ha! Taking it from the expert, I began to search for a job. But of course, there was this constant fear for myself, as well as the problem I had with myself. It was not easy landing a job with the education I had, and some non-pro jobs available required identification, character reference and much all those stuff that would expose my real identity.   
  
He had a point. And I was beginning to see it.   
  
That I went home late to find him standing by the door, arms cross in front of his chest. I wanted to go home late so I did not have to see him but it turned out he was still awake. I had overlooked the fact that he usually went home late.  
  
"Where have you been?" he asked me like an investigator.  
  
I folded the umbrella as I went it and placed it in the rack. "Where else? Job-hunt," I answered as I passed by him. I heard him shut the door and follow after me. Before he could ask further, I stopped him with an answer as I slammed the refrigerator door. "No. There's no job. And you're right. Nobody needs my help."  
  
Gee I sounded so snappy, snappier that I anticipated. What was I so upset about, anyway? And why was I berating him ? It was all me. The problem was with me alone.   
  
Shaking my head, I stopped, slumping a glass silently on the table. "Sorry." I apologized after a sigh, leaning on the table. "It's just.." my voice trailed off. "I don't know. My life has definitely taken a much more different course and it's not really easy to adjust."   
  
"Do you want to eat?" he asked quietly.   
  
"No. I'm too tired to eat."  
  
"Go to rest then. You'll have long day tomorrow at the flower shop."  
  
  
Yes. The flower shop all right. It was the only job I could take. The three other less snobby guys, Hidaka, Kudou and Tsukiyono welcomed me, but I could see with the way they exchanged looks how much they were surprised to find Ran bringing me there. I guess Ran never told them anything, and it surprised me. They seemed to be the only ones he hanged out with and he never even mentioned me. Later, I confirmed their surprise. Kudou in fact, told me with wink, "Ran is never popular among girls, because even if he is, he doesn't acknowledge women."  
  
"So," Hidaka came to me as he brought some flowers inside. "Since when have you been staying with  
him?"  
  
"Just a week now."  
  
"What's he like?" Kudou asked. "The only woman in his life is his sis, you know.." A familiar voice  
came to the door, greeting Fujimiya cheerfully. Kudou sneaked a look at the door and gave me  
a friendly pat on the shoulder, gesturing with his head at the newcomer. "And of course, Sakura."  
He smiled at her. "Hi Sakura! What's up?"  
  
  
My head followed his gaze to a girl with short brown hair. She looked really familiar but it took a while before my memory could figure out why. She looked exactly like Aya, except for the hair color, and they were probably even the same age.  
  
She greeted all of us, including me. Tsukiyono, who was busy entertaining another girl, took the time to introduce me to her and she bowed to me politely. Then she followed Ran who was about to water the plants.   
  
Fujimiya was busy with the plants as he watered them, but he stopped to look at her the way he would look at his sister. Though he didn't smile, I knew it meant something. I didn't notice myself gaping at them  
until Kudou acknowledged it with a nudge.  
  
  
It was all just like a simple flower shop. They seemed to know all flowers by heart, which was pretty impressive considering they were men. Kudou liked women a lot, and the women responded to him with the same vivacity. Tsukiyono took the time out to play with his computer at the basement. Hidaka entertained kids and women all like. Sakura left going to school, saying her good-byes, and Fujimiya became quiet again, as thought everything pissed him off. I never knew the flower shop could have that much customer. I think one main reason was because of they boys themselves , not the flowers. Women consisted of the 90 percent of the customers and they sort of liked particularly one of them quite obviously with the way they would approach that particular one saying they were in need of this kind of flower but their eyes seemed to be saying some other things.   
  
Sakura stopped by again that afternoon. Kudou was busy flirting with the two school girls. Tsukiyono was at the basement with his computer, while Hidaka was entertaining a boy. He was looking for Omi.  
  
The boy kinda looked familiar ,but again my memory needed some help. Then I remembered.   
  
"Omi?" Ken asked as he stooped down to level the boy's gaze.   
  
"I'll get him," I said, and fetched Omi.   
  
The boy was Gen. Ohno Gen, a student of mine in the dojo. I didn't know if he remembered me, but he might not have. He was just beginning the training when I stopped teaching. But I guess I must have been looking at him in a different way such that Hidaka noticed it as I watched Omi talked to the boy.  
  
"What's wrong there, Kasumi?"   
  
A thin grin came to my lips. "He's my student. His name is Gen, right?"  
  
He nodded. "Student?"   
  
"Uh-uh. I teach karate at the Ryuugasaki Dojo."  
  
Gen came frequently. He liked Omi a lot. Though Ken encouraged me to talk to the boy, I refused. In the first place, I didn't want to be close to anybody. And, as usual, I fear that I may hold on to some dear things so hard I will break them. Watching Gen was OK for me.  
  
Everyday was like that, similar in one way but differed in another. The difference was, when some men heard there was a new female employee they came frequently to check me out like I was a mannequin on display. I didn't entertain them when I knew they wouldn't buy, so one thing that raised the sales was just to check me out they had to buy something, and it was good.   
  
I didn't know I really was worth checking out. I had always been some kind of tomboy. For one, a karate kido like me seemed to turn off men, and the only man who was ever to go far beyond to touching my soul without feeling my fist on his chin was my father. It was..well..unusual and I was pretty uneasy. But as long as they bought flowers, it was fine fine fine.  
  
My sickness often visited me as well. It picked no time and no place. It would suddenly   
strike like a thief in the night, stealing my sanity, from  
the apartment, to the flower shop , while walking in the streets or while taking a bath. Whoever was invading my mind sure became persistent and was determined to take control of me again, whether I was asleep or awake. But Fujimiya was there, and it was with him alone that I could feel totally safe. The deal had become somewhat a security to me.   
  
The one invading my mind wanted to drive Fujimiya away. I didn't know why and I sure didn't know how I knew it, but it suddenly dawned to me that judging from my actions, it wanted Fujimiya out of the way.  
  
The sentence 'I will kill you' which was engraved deep in my mind by force seemed to have prove that. Fujimiya Ran was supposedly the next victim, which I was not able to kill. He was strong, stronger and more determined than my other previous victims. Another advantage was that he was aware of everything and was always high on guard.   
  
Other proofs that my invader wanted him dead was my several failed attempts to kill him, and only him and not the other boys. While we were alone, I strike at random. The invader sure didn't want me jailed or he would lose his puppet.   
  
Meanwhile, the White Rabbit was gone. At least, temporarily. Since the mask was wrecked by Fujimiya, I could no longer be that notorious White Rabbit. It was sigh of relief. As long as Fujimiya was alive, I could not go on to the next chain. He was block in the way, and I was thankful for that.   
  
The three other boys were not aware of my disease, because Fujimiya had not bothered to tell them. He didn't even tell them anything about me that I told him about, leaving me to decide for myself which to tell and which not to. Ran ,though cold as he was, was the truly the only one I could trust.   
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	4. The Kiss

** Finding Him  
Chapter 4 : The Kiss   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.

  
  
One night after we had eaten, I felt the same throb in my head whenever the images occur. My head began to whirl, and I dropped the plates I was supposed to wash.  
  
Aya came to assist me to ask me how I felt, but I shoved her away. "Call your brother," I told her. I was too dangerous for her.   
  
"But why? What's wrong?"  
  
"Call your brother!" I cried at her, holding my head. "Quick! Call him! And don't come back! Just stay in your room. Lock the door. Stay there."   
  
"But --"  
  
The spinning became faster.   
  
"Just do as I say!"   
  
She obeyed me and called her brother who was in his room, but didn't go up her own room to lock herself in. To her surprise, Ran told her the same thing. She hurried up the stares, confused.   
  
Then it came. But the difference was that I no longer saw the images. I watched it all happen with my eyes, how I fought, what I did. But I was not in control of my body. I was a mere spectator.   
  
I used my martial arts skills to fight Ran, but he fought back, until several minutes later, after the dining room was wrecked and nothing more was left to be wrecked, he got control of me, sitting atop of me , pinning my arms beside me head with his strong hands. My body began to wiggle free.   
  
"Think of something!" he ordered me.  
  
"What?" I asked him.  
  
"Think of other things. Don't keep your mind blank."  
  
"But what will I think of?"   
  
It was all to hard. My head felt like it was going to explode. I began to scream and wildly tried to get him off me. Then there was the other side of me, begging him to help me. "Don't let me go, Ran! Doooon't!"   
  
It probably reached Aya and we both heard her scramble down the stairs, but before she could see us, Ran ordered her sternly to lock herself in the room. She was going to protest but Ran was too stern. He meant what he said.   
  
"Try to fight it."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Think of something."  
  
"I'm trying."  
  
"Think of your father."  
  
And I did. An image of my father. He was bounded with thick cords, unconscious. My fury began to rise.   
  
Dadddeeeeee!  
  
I struggled more wildly.   
  
"It's not working. It's becoming worse."  
  
"The flowers. The flower shop."  
  
The flowers reminded me of my very nice dream, the dream I had when I murdered two students. It crashed my soul. The two sides of me clashes very badly, and my struggling became more furious.  
  
Everything good in my mind would come out as bad. And everything bad would become worse. There was no safe thing to think about.   
  
"Help me, Ran.." I whispered helplessly, meeting his eyes during the few dormant seconds I had. Then the attack of my mind came again.  
  
Before anything else could happen, his face dropped down very close to mine, his eyes calm. He said nothing and just stared back at me..  
  
I was still fighting furiously.  
  
Then his lips touched mine. It was longer than peck, and my body began to respond to it far from expectation. I began to calm down. The longer it gets, the calmer by body became. When my body became quite calm, it was past ten seconds that he was kissing me.   
  
Nobody had ever kissed me before.  
  
He released me afterwards. I was too shocked to move from my position, and I just lied there, unblinkingly staring at the ceiling. He too was probably shocked by what he did, but he was good at hiding his feelings. He stood up and began arranging the kitchen.   
  
When I regained myself, I was too upset. I couldn't believe myself. I was pretty ungrateful instead. "I can't believe you'd do that! What did you do that for?" I demanded furiously.  
  
He didn't answer and just continued to do what he was doing, like my feelings didn't matter. This upset me even more. Angrily, I spun him around and slapped him across the face. His expression didn't change. Then it occurred to me it was probably a part of the deal.   
  
Try to stop me any way you can.  
  
I was even the one who said it. He was just keeping his part of the bargain. What more, I was a parasite, a danger and a total bitch. I couldn't bring myself to apologize to him yet. I was too confused. So I ran off and locked myself in my room.   
  
  
The next day, though, I was in total good mood. I was determined to ask for apology. But I woke up too late to find the two Fujimiyas gone. Aya to her school and Ran probably to the flower shop.   
  
I decided to cook lunch for him. One way of apology. I was not much of a cook but I could give it a try.  
  
The outcome was not as good as my father's cooking, but not nearly as bad as my mother's. I wanted to make a set of four ,but I had no more time and no more ingredients that I could only make one. Then I went to go to the flower shop.   
  
"Sorry I'm late," I told them. Omi was the first to greet me, followed by the two others. Of course Fujimiya was as cold as ice, though the presence of Sakura warmed him up.  
  
"So whatcha bringing with you?" Kudou asked with a silly smile, putting an arm around me.   
  
I hugged the paper bag containing Ran's lunch. He'll tease me all right. "No-nothing."  
  
The door opened. A girl came in and it sent Yoji off to her like dog. I was pleased that Kudou stopped bugging me at the sight of that girl which I noticed was the one to whom his interest was highly vested upon.  
  
I went directly to Ran who was inside talking to a girl. Or rather, the girl was talking to him. But I barely noticed the girl and when I did it was too late. The three other boys were watching with amusement.  
  
"Fujimiya, I'm so sorry about what happened last night. I should not have doubted your motives." I bowed deeply to him. I meant it from the bottom of my heart. I didn't wait for him to say anything. I continued talking nonstop to defend myself. "I shouldn't have done what I did. It's all me, I swear. And..you can do that to me again..whaaat I mean is you can do that again if you want to..gosh what am I saying? if you hafta do it, then do it. Then I gave him his lunch. "As a sign of my deep repentance.."  
  
  
He accepted it, rather hesitantly. Then I realized why.  
  
Sakura. Sakura was staring at us. She was the girl I barely noticed. "Do what?" she asked both of us.   
  
He didn't say anything as usual. Just left me to sort out the new mess I created. I stepped back. "Ah. Do what?" I asked innocently. "But of course. Nothing you'd take interest on. Nothing in particular, really..."  
  
But Sakura's suspicions were already aroused.   
  
Then my invader. He came again.  
  
  
  
kill   
  
I   
  
her   
  
will   
  
kill   
  
kill   
  
her  
  
her   
  
  
  
  
  
NOOO!   
  
My hands both landed on my ears to top the voices from coming. Her? Sakura? But why?  
  
"Leave me aloneee!" I cried out. Everybody looked at me , surprised. Only Ran knew what was going on.   
  
"Ran it's happening again!"   
  
"What's happening?" Hidaka asked.   
  
"Take me somewhere ! Take me somewhere! Take me somewhere !!!" I pleaded Ran.   
  
But where would he take me? I would not be able to hold on much longer. He better do something fast.  
  
"Sakuraaaa! Leave! Leave now!! Or...or....I will kill you!!!!"  
  
It was all too much for her. Omi saw what was happening and though he had no clue, decided to ask the customers to leave. Ken rushed to Sakura and Yoji's girl who refused to leave and just guarded both of them. Yoji and Ran took me on in a fight. My body was beginning to fight and no images blurred my vision. Again I was a mere spectator as I saw my body act as though some strings were used to pull it like a puppet.  
  
It was Yoji who was able to render me helpless this time as he was able to corner me. "Yoji.. help me.." I was able to say.  
  
"What's going on?" Kudou asked ran who was behind him as he held my wrists tightly.  
  
"Don't release her," Ran advised.   
  
"What will I do? This girl's powerful!"  
  
"Kiss her."  
  
"What?" Kudou asked out loud. He knew his girl was still there.  
  
My initial reaction was not far from Kudou's. I was well aware by that time how much of a flirt Kudou could be and I doubted his motives. I guess I preferred Ran to kiss me instead. But then I decided to pay a much more mature view over it all.   
  
It's all for me.  
  
Kudou kissed me alright. Shorter one, but my body needed more and Ran saw the need, so he asked Yoji to kiss me more, much to the girl's fury.  
  
My body gave the same reaction to a kiss. I didn't know a kiss could act like a depressant. Maybe it never was supposed to be. I had just some weird reaction to some things. And kiss was one of those things.  
  
It was my second kiss. Darn. Two kisses on two different men for two consecutive days. This time, Yoji was getting carried away. Angrily, I pushed him away when I was in control of myself and gave him a slap on his face.   
  
I just never learn.  
  
But the next day I apologized and gave Kudou his lunch I cooked for him.  
  
And that was how they figured out what happened between me and Ran.  
  
  
Sakura and Yoji's girl who was named Erinko had cornered me and demanded I explain myself that same afternoon. Gheeze, didn't they understand what just happened? But one thing was clear, though: I blew it for Yoji. I felt sorry for him.   
  
That same night, the night of the day of my second kiss, I could not sleep. Restless but tired. Anxious about something. I was scared.  
  
"What do you want?" Ran asked without turning to look at me as I stood in my bathrobe by his door, carrying a pillow and a blanket. He was on a jeans and gray shirt, both arms crossed beneath his head, his eyes on the ceiling. He was not asleep yet either, though the light on his room was off. He seemed to be thinking.   
  
"I'm scared," I told him frankly.   
  
He looked at me without moving from his position and probably saw from the way I looked what I meant.   
  
Before he could ask again, I asked him first. "Can I sleep here with you?"  
  
I knew it was rather unbecoming to ask of that, but I must be frank of how I feel. I definitely could not sleep with Aya because I may hurt her.  
  
He sat up. "Fine. I'll sleep on the floor."  
  
I stopped him. "No don't. I'll sleep on the floor. This is your room after all."  
  
"I said I'll sleep on the floor."  
  
Irritating. "I said you don't have to because this is your room. I'll sleep on the floor."  
  
"This is my room all right, so I'll do what I want when I want to."  
  
Here we go again. I rolled my eyes. "Let's sleep on the bed." Silently he looked at me as though I didn't know what I was talking about. "Well, what are you so scared of? I don't think there's anything wrong with that unless we do something I>wrong /I>."  
  
I got my way. It was like a dare to him or more of an insult to him I guess to be called scared by an insane girl like me and that was why he agreed. I kept to my side of the bed. We were both silent for a long while and still I could not sleep.  
  
"Ran?" I mumbled.   
  
I just heard a faint "huh?"  
  
"I'm sorry. Very sorry."  
  
He said nothing. I didn't expect him to.  
  
"I trust your motives. I'll always will."  
  
"Good night," was all his reply.   
  
"Good night."  
  
And thank you.  
  
That time I wanted to kiss him.   
  
  
Shinzo Ryuugasaki was the founder of the Ryuugasaki School of martial arts where I taught. His grandson Seiji was a student of mine.   
  
Seiji was pretty close to Ken as Gen was attached to Omi. I didn't know for sure how the two lads became involved with the mess.  
  
Seiji and Gen were good friends, and it was quite obvious. As Ken had predicted, something was wrong with Gen lately which the boy didn't bother telling Omi. It was Seiji who spilled it all.  
  
Yuki Ohno, a high school girl, older sister of Gen Ohno was kidnapped. This Yuki, according to Ken, was Omi's second love interest. Though the mutual relationship was comparatively slow, it was clear they both liked each other. Poor Omi.  
  
The cops told the Ohno family like what they told me. And if there was one person who understood Gen quite well, it was me.   
  
I had this strange feeling all these kidnappings were done by only one syndicate. Whatever their intention was I didn't know, and neither did the boys. I didn't care either. But I would find Yuki and my father.  
  
Ken and Omi worked all alone with me. It was my decision to exclude Ran and Yoji from our our project. For one thing, I already owed Ran a lot, and I feared I would just place him and Aya, and even Sakura in much danger. Yoji on the other hand seemed to do a good job on Erinko and the last thing I wanted was to blow it up all for him.  
  
Two days later, Aya Fujimiya was gone. She was kidnapped as well. This inevitably dragged Ran into the mess.  
  
  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	5. The Good, The Bad and the Lovers

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 5 : The Good, The Bad and the Lovers****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  
The mind invader came to haunt me as I took a bath. Of course, it was obstinate and wanted me as a whole. It attempted drowning me in the tub and I had to shout to Ran for help. Well, while his sister was gone, he wanted me to call him Aya.   
  
He burst in the bathroom to my rescue. I knew I was such being a pain in the ass. I've become so dependent of him that I was almost afraid to lose him by my side. In return, I was determined to find Aya. Aya, Yuki and my father. But I didn't tell him that. There are still things I could keep from him.  
  
Aya threw me towel. Everything angered me, scared me and I always had something to fear. It was all myself. I slept with him often. I left the bathroom door open so he could come in while I take a bath. There was no such thing was privacy anymore. Because privacy kills. Probably the only thing left for me to ask him of is to accompany me while I bathe.   
  
While I was dressing up, pulling my bathrobe all around me, the invader visited me. Unlike before it was a peaceful invasion.   
  
I'm getting tired of playing this lame game, it was saying.  
  
For the first time, I realized it was a female voice.  
  
So am I, I retorted, combing my hair.  
  
I don't wanna be harsh on you. So just stop playing hard to get and do as I tell you.  
  
My hand gripped the comb. The nerve that woman had of telling me what to do! "I'll do what I want when I want to!" I snapped at her.   
  
I know where Aya is...  
  
Liar!   
  
Would I lie? Do you think I can lie?  
  
Well where is she?  
  
A deal I say?  
  
What's the catch?  
  
Oh nothing much...really..she giggled. Just little things..  
  
What do I get?  
  
I won't control your mind again..ever again..and I'll tell you where Aya is..  
  
What's the catch?  
  
There is no catch , really. Just be an obedient little girl. Do everything as I tell you.   
  
I didn't answer.  
  
Well? I could tell you where Aya is. And Yuki. and..Keisuke..  
  
Daddy?   
  
Oh yes. Your daddy.   
  
The deal was made. I bit the bait. I could not really care for the consequences. I just wanted to save those dear people. A chance to do something good.  
  
That night, I dressed in my male black suit and prepared myself. I listened to the woman's instructions accurately. By around 10:45 leave the house. Go directly to Chinese restaurant at the Hyogo Street and walk around the dark alley beside it. There stood three waste bins. Open the second one and you will find all you need. And I did.  
  
A map. A silencer. Two daggers. A white mask. The White Rabbit.  
  
I took all but the mask.  
  
Port 31 was where Aya was. At least according to the map. The voice had stopped assisting her as soon as she left the house. She was all on her own.  
  
Port 31. An international port. There were guards on almost every block. Highly secured, it seemed. I killed these guards.   
  
No one became much of a nuisance. Except when I was nearing the entrance, someone saw me and became a hindrance. He stood behind me and in a low voice, told me to drop my weapon.  
  
It must be the illegal syndicates. After all, had it been a guard, it would have shouted to his fellows about me and sounded the alarm. But this one didn't.   
  
I knew I could not fail. So I will have to kill if I had to. And I turned around quickly to confront the one behind me.  
  
It was a girl, much to my surprise. I didn't know if she knew I was one too for I was in disguise and wore a beret, but she fought valiantly for a girl. But I, the master of the Ryuugasaki technique, defeated her. It was the time when her comrade came to the rescue and came up behind me, strangling me with a string.  
  
"Stop now."   
  
The voice was familiar.   
  
I began to strangle free, but the girl I defeated rose up and they both teamed against me. She gave me a one painful kick in the stomach. A coughed out blood.   
  
Another unexpected thing happened. A blade came behind the girl. A familiar looking blade. It threatened to kill her.  
  
"Aya!" the one holding me said in surprise. I took his surprise as an opportunity to give him one strong blow on the stomach at the same time get free. My beret fell off, letting go of my hair.  
  
Aya Fujimiya. I mean Ran. It was him all right. He released the girl one I was able to go.   
  
And the one who strangled me...it was Yoji. And the girl was no other than Erinko.   
  
Traitors.  
  
I was going to get the girl and force something out of her, but the guards came and lit up the whole surrounding, had a rain of bullets and we had no choice but to run off and the alarm system had been sounded. Yoji and Erinko to one direction, me and Aya on the other.  
  
"So you followed me?!" I demanded him when we were all alone behind a wall. He was dressed in the same thief clothes I first saw him in.  
  
"My sister's here. What do you want me to do? Sit and wait?"  
  
"I didn't ask for your help!"  
  
"And who asked for your help?"  
  
Darn. There we were, arguing again in the wrong time and wrong place. "Well I lead you into this place."  
  
"I just saved you."  
  
"All right. I get your point. Let's call it quits."  
  
He didn't say anything again, but I thought that as a yes. We didn't' have much chance to talk as we were once again on the run. I guess I must have talked rather too loudly that the guards were able to track us. We ran until we could no more. The sea was ahead of us and there were guards on all direction but the sea. We both jumped down. Damn it was cold. And we had to stay calmly there for more than fifteen minutes until the guards concluded we were either drowned or had escaped.   
  
We went home dripping wet. In failure.   
  
  
Yoji and Aya were exceptionally cold to each other the next day. Aya just walked with me to the shop and left to only God-knows-where which I didn't bother to ask. I for one, just stayed and helped around as though nothing happened.   
  
Yoji's strings marked on my neck. I almost died. He almost killed me. He didn't talk to me but I decided to confront him about it. It was getting to be really irritating.   
  
"I was going to save Aya," I told him.   
  
"Aya?" he repeated in surprise. I guess Ran did not bother telling him nothing.  
  
"Yup. And what were you doing there? Come on, Kudou. Spill."  
  
He did. He confessed to me Erinko worked for the Inoue syndicate, but she chose to work with him to save Ohno Yuki. She had become a traitor all right, and her life could be in danger if anybody from the syndicate knew about this.   
  
"What? You mean Yuki?" I asked in surprise.   
  
"Know her?"  
  
"Nope. But Omi does."  
  
"Of course. They're lovebirds. I wanted to surprise Omi."  
  
"Whatever you call it," I grinned at him then called the two other to go down the basement with Yoji while I took care of the shop. So everything was back to what it was before. Yoji had once again the nerve to put his long slender arm around me.   
  
Sakura dropped by later on and I told her Aya was gone somewhere but he might be back later. She left, rather disappointed, but also sort of relived to find me alone and not with him. I bet she was still suspicious. I couldn't blame her.   
  
I went home pretty early and forgetting about Aya's absence, called for her and was surprised to find her not yet home. She was always the one who gets home first and most of the time I find her busy in the kitchen or had already prepared something to eat. Now that she was gone..the house seemed pretty empty.   
  
This angered me.   
  
It left me in charge of cooking. For the two of us.  
  
Ran went home late. I heard his car's sound and I knew it was him driving. When I went to the door to welcome him, I found him scrambling out of the car, beaten. Quickly, I rushed to him to help me, and though he was trying to look as though it didn't matter, he could not do anything to refuse my help. He was too weak.   
  
I swung his arm around me and helped him in up his room then locked all the doors. "Where've you been?" I demanded as I laid him down gently on his bed. He was bruised all over, plus a gunshot at his arm and the sleeve of his clothing torn along with some other little tears randomly scattered all over. His face had a mark of a blow, along with his chest. There was blood at the corner of his lips. His sight sent a wave of a combination of emotions in my heart : fear, anxiety, hatred, anger.. and I guess love and admiration. Ran would do anything to save his sister. Nonetheless I was on trying to put an annoyed expression, hiding all my fears. I wanted to cry. But I didn't want to show him that. For once I wanted to be strong. Strong for him and for her.   
  
I took care of him almost all night, dealing with his shot first. He didn't want to be brought to the hospital leaving me all alone to do the job. I changed his clothes, applied some medicines on his wounds, bandaged it helped him eat while he lied down. His breathing was audible enough and I knew then that his condition was barely good enough.   
  
I sat down on his bed as he slept, my back turned to him. With both my elbows on my knees and my face on my hands, I cried. And I swore to myself I will get all those who did it to him.  
  
But he was awake. I felt his hand on my shoulder. "Don't do it, Kanzaki," he advised, as though reading what was on my head.   
  
I turned to him. He was awake all right. I met his eyes. It was still the same determined eyes I had seen before. The light neither vanished nor waned. "I will do what I want when I want to."  
  
He seemed to grin. For the first time, I could almost see him smile. A smile. His hand traveled from my shoulder to my face. He held my face, wiping my tears with his. "Fine then. I'm coming with you, Kasumi."  
  
That was the first time he mentioned my name. It felt very nice. "No you're not," Nevertheless I corrected him sternly.  
  
"I will do what I want when I want to."  
  
I grinned at him feebly. We were not going to argue again. "Fine. I won't. For now." I held his hand with both of mine. Then he fell asleep.   
  
  
The following day his condition improved. His recovery was pretty fast and, except for the bruises and scars, he could stand up once again and was all A-OK for an argument.  
  
He was hard headed all the same, and acted as though nothing happened last night. His was the toughy toughy front but I didn't let him out of the house. Neither of us went to the shop. We were going to attack that night as Ran had planned.   
  
I haven't told him about the deal with the invader. But I intended to, though I was well aware he was going to be furious.   
  
The whole day we spent indoors. I cooked, we ate, we planned, revised and revised the plan until everything seemed to be perfect. Then I told him about Yoji and Erinko. "The more the merrier," I told him.  
  
But his decision was made. He trusted Yoji, but not his women. He made me pick - the two of us, or him alone. Of course I picked the two of us. Including the couple was out of the question.  
  
He told me of what happened by his own will. I didn't force him out of it. According to his narration, he went to the port that night to observe but was caught. He didn't bring any weapons and the unfair proportion of numbers caused him to almost die if it weren't for the help of a woman and a man. He described the woman of what he was able to saw but it struck me with no clue..Then he described the man. I was almost paralyzed to my seat.   
  
Daddy.   
  
He noticed it and read my mind. "So he's your dad."  
  
"Looks like it."   
  
And the more I could not wait for tonight. The stronger my will and determination to attack.  
  
  
That night, though, we were not able to go with our plans. When I was about to tell Ran about the deal, the invader penetrated on my mind. She manipulated my body, choking me to death and in fact, managed to stop my heartbeat for more or less ten seconds. At least according to Ran.  
  
He saved me. Again. Then for more than an hour, I was paralyzed and could not move.   
  
I guess she wanted me dead.   
  
The deal was broken. There was no way I was going to work for her anymore now that she began to intrude me again, against from what she had promised.   
  
I was able to tell Ran later about everything. He was furious. But I could see he was worried as well. And grateful.  
  
But because of the incident, the plan was postponed.  
  
The best part was, the deal was cut off and I got what I want.  
  
But there was part of me that knew I was not going to get away the easily.  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	6. Love and War

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 6 : Love and War****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  


_Vengeance is mine..I will repay..  
_  
From what I had anticipated, Ms. Invader would not let me get off the hook easily. And it did not take long for another nightmare to realize.  
  
The next day, after I recovered, neither of us went to the shop. Or maybe Ran went to the shop; I just didn't bother asking. He just left, promising to go back early that night. I stayed at home, restless. I could feel something bad was going to happen.  
  
Sakura dropped by the house, again to her disappointment. The greatest mistake I had was to let her in, and she did. She asked for Aya and I told her the horrible truth.  
  
It was then that the invader began to take control of myself. It was as though she had planned everything before hand.   
  
It was more like a dream. Maybe I fell asleep. Maybe I just saw visions.   
  
Ran and I were making love. Somewhere. In a garden probably. The same setting as with the flowers. Though I had this strange feeling it was something bad, because the flowers were the same ones when I killed two students, it was hard to resist. Like my dream of flowers, I didn't resist the dream. It was rare that I could have such dream nowadays.  
  
I realized I had fallen for Fujimiya Ran.   
  
And I willingly gave myself to him.   
  
When my eyes cleared, or when I woke up, the whole house was in chaos. Sakura Tomoe was unconscious on the floor, blood on her clothes.   
  
A blade was pointed in my direction.   
  
Ran.   
  
This time he looked upset. Really upset.   
  
I gasped, my eyes wide. Then I shut my eyes. If he wanted to kill me then he better do so. It was after all, part of our deal. I sank down to the ground, bowing my head as I cried.  
  
And I willingly gave myself to him.   
  
He didn't kill me. Didn't even turn me in the cops. God, I wondered why. Sakura Tomoe was one of the girl he loves most and I almost killed her.  
  
He brought her to the hospital. Some broken bones. Other minor fractures. She was unconscious and was expected to be unconscious for a while and will undergo major and minor surgery. But she should recover. Eventually.   
  
This event shattered my soul.  
  
The invader got her revenge.  
  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	7. Lost

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 7 : Lo****st****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  


The days that followed were one of the lowest parts of my life. I left Ran's house. I no longer had the face to see him again. And I knew he no longer wanted to see my face. Ever again.  
  
I had nowhere to go. Not my house. Not the temple. Not the flower shop. After I got into my male black suit and beret, I just skipped from one bar to another. The bars became my home. I drank a lot. Whores flirted with me. They thought I was a man. I didn't bother correct them. I went to the darkest place I know of where the darkest creatures dwelled. Creatures like me. That way, I won't have to be afraid of killing when I knew was killing those who deserved to be killed.  
  
I had no one. I lost my father. I lost Amaru. I lost my friends. My students. I lost Ran.  
  
I had lost everything.  
  
Even lost my invader.   
  
The visions no longer haunted me. Just when I needed it. I will do anything to have to dream of flowers, of Ran making love with me or of anything else rather than of the harsh reality. For once, I realized what a blessing it was to have those visions.   
  
I found a substitute though. One time as I sat drinking in a bar, somebody came up to me and offered me something.   
  
Marijuana.  
  
I knew it was some kind of a drug. Illegal. For criminals. Criminals like me. I knew I'll see visions. I knew I'll feel better temporarily. I knew I'll kill myself. That was why I took it.   
  
Those days..they were darker than what I had imagined. But I fit in with these people. I knew I was not staining anything. Because everything about them was stained.   
  
I didn't know for how many days I was so lost. I had given up everything. Those were the times I would wake up to find myself in the sidewalk. Luckily, I never really got into other troubles. Nobody tried beating me up or even touching me. They all think I was a man. A deranged pathetic man. I lost all my money. Much worse, I was addicted to the drug. Curse the one who offered it to me. He was a dealer. And after I got addicted to it, he wanted me to buy it. The idiot. He was talking like a salesman all of a sudden and even asked me of the law of supply and demand. Damn him. I picked a fight with him and some other lunatics like me who wanted to get it for free helped me and he ended up almost killed. The Ryuugasaki technique was a lot helpful than I imagined.   
  
My name was fighting the way up to the worst, to be the King of Hell. Of course. I didn't know the guy worked for an underground syndicate and whoever messed with the guy messed with the syndicate. I didn't know about those stuffs. I was in reality, just a newbie. But no one knew that. I befriended no one. No one could come closer to me. The fist became a close associate of mine. Including marijuana of course.   
  
Nobody knew my real identity. I was just known as the crackpot or something like that. A notorious martial artist. I live in the shadows of darkness. What a dissolute life I lived! I drank, slept somewhere, and I could no longer recall if I ate meals. But I knew I took the drug. I would kill to get some.   
  
I didn't know what I looked like. It felt like I hadn't bathed for years. All I wore was my male black suit. It was something I never lost and it will never leave me all alone.   
  
After some time of disappearance, the drug dealer came back. He brought with him two friends over. But that didn't scare me. I was afraid of no one. Not even myself anymore.  
  
It turned out that one of his comrades is someone I knew. And she recognized me. I was too crazed to remember her.  
  
That time I was too deranged to save myself. But she saved me. Erinko, the traitor. So the Inoue syndicate was backing up the blasted guy. The fucking Inoue syndicate.   
  
She brought me over to where she and Yoji were staying in the middle of the night. Erinko was a tall, though no taller than I was, with a good slender physique , a long dark hair and mesmerizing eyes and little mole beneath her lips. She was beautiful. As an angel .maybe she was indeed my angel.  
  
She and Yoji Kudou were living together, happily ever after.   
  
They stayed in some kind of studio type condo. Or an apartment. Just a little one but just enough for the two of them. One king size bed, three couches , a tv, a radio, a ref, counter, a dining table, cupboards and cabinets. It was all messed up but pretty cozy. At least it was home for them both. Yoji when we arrived was half naked if it weren't for the boxer shorts he was wearing was still in bed  
  
"So..you're the so-called Scourge of God," Kudou greeted me sleepily as I went in their house. Or rather as Erinko dragged me in the house.   
  
"Scourge of what?" I muffled. My speech had become quite slurred. Erinko slumped me down on one of their couches.   
  
I fell asleep right there and then. When I woke up in the middle of the night, I was wearing Erinko's clothes and a blanket was draped over me. On to the other side in the bed was Yoji and Erinko, sleeping soundly in each other's arms.   
  
Happily ever after.   
  
  
That morning they tried talking to me as Yoji and I sat down while Erinko cooked. I learned some of what happened.  
  
Fujimiya Aya was still not found. Ohno Yuki was rescued. Tomoe Sakura was still unconscious in the hospital.  
  
And what about Ran? I asked to myself mentally.   
  
Kudou seemed to have read it. "Oh, Aya," he went on referring to Ran. "He's still bent over to searching for his sister. Pretty much the same. Looks burned up half the time, especially after what happened to Sakura and then you."   
  
I looked at him, confused. He went on, lighting a cigarette. "Yeah. Though he didn't want to show if, it's pretty obvious. Your loss affected him so much. "  
  
It was then I realized Ran had never told anybody about what I did to Sakura. From Kudou's narration, Ran simply told them Sakura was attacked by some deranged freaks for no apparent reason. I wondered why he didn't tell them I did it.   
  
"I feel sorry for him," Erinko said, placing her cooking on the table and sitting down next to Kudou. "He's lost all the women he's loved." And she eyed me meaningfully.  
  
I didn't know what the meant. Probably she knew I almost killed Sakura.   
  
Basically , in simple words, they forced me to stay with them. Though I refused and would have loved to stop them, I was too weak to drive my own life. I guess I should be thanking them. Finally I agreed to, making them promise not to tell anybody else I was with them. The upright wanted me as well as the evil.   
  
But that was not one of the main reasons. I was addicted to the drug and I thought I could get something out of two working pals.   
  
I stayed just at their place. Taking my drug, sleeping, drinking. One of the main effects of marijuana was my increase in appetite, now that I had something to eat.   
  
The couple did not want me take the drug. So it was a secret. But they knew my situation.  
  
One time, Kudou found my close associate. And angrily, he demanded what it was, showing to me.  
  
"What do you think it is?" I snapped, lighting up a cigarette. "Marijuana of course." I sank down to the couch.  
  
He grabbed the cigarette and pulled me up, shoving it to my face. "I want you to stop using this, you hear!"   
  
"I will do what I want to when I want to!" I cried angrily. The line suddenly stopped me and I stared blankly in space. Yoji slapped my face with the back of his hand. I was just so vulnerable.  
  
Then my drugged self returned and I pulled my arm from Yoji, standing up.   
  
But Kudou never stopped trying to talk me out of it. He gave me two choices : stay with the drug or stay with them. Foolishly I chose the drug. It was over, and I will have to leave the house. Though I threatened, it took me some time to make myself leave. Erinko was frantic in learning about it, but Yoji tried stopping her from stopping me.   
  
In truth, I decided to commit suicide. I was too addicted I was out of myself. Too much shame.. Too dirty..Too evil..  
  
The night I left the couple in my male black suit, I walked and walked with no specific destination in my head. I crossed the roads without bothering to look both sides, not even in the pedestrian lane. Hard to believe, but I was sane, all along.   
  
The thought of suicide became so vivid as I walked at the bridge, adjoining what was separated by a huge body of water. I could drown in that , no doubt. I began to laugh. Laugh hard as I climbed up the railing to jump.   
  
Some people began to look at me and shout cries. I turned but a deaf ear on them.   
  
But something stopped me. At the corner of my eyes, I saw something quite familiar. Someone from the old days.  
  
  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	8. The Return of the White Rabbit

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 8 : The Return of the White Rabbit****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  


It was all too hard to believe. But I knew it, the first time I saw it. I may be a lunatic, but I knew the White Rabbit from far away. After all, it had been a part of me. It had been me.  
  
The remaining supply of marijuana I clutched so dearly in my hand fell on the water and I jumped down from the railing back to the ground and began running wildly after the rabbit. I didn't know where exactly it was, but it was like a star I just followed.  
  
It was only then I noticed the couple trailing after me inside the car. Both Yoji and Erinko looked so surprise at my sudden behavior. I waved at them then ran wildly after the rabbit.   
  
Yoji's car came screeching in front of me after some blocks of running. "The White Rabbit! It's returned!"   
  
"Get in!" Yoji barked.  
  
"No! Let's split up!"  
  
"We can't see it," Erinko said.  
  
"It's heading to .....Akai Shin.." I said my eyes not leaving the quickly dashing rabbit.  
  
"But --" they both began to protest.  
  
"Go go go!" I yelled at them ,then jumped on Yoji's car , pissing Kudou off.   
  
Ryuugasaki technique was really helpful. I skipped from Kudou's car to the nearest reachable roof and skipped, trying to keep track of the rabbit. In three minutes time, I reached the place, but I was late. It was gone from my site.  
  
Kudou's car came right in front of me again.   
  
"Where is it?" Kudou asked me.  
  
"It's...gone..But I saw it.."  
  
"You must be hallucinating. We didn't see a thing," Kudou replied.  
  
Irritably, I slammed my hands down on his car. "I wasn't hallucinating! I saw what I saw and I am most certain about it!"  
  
"Oh all right all right. Would you get in now?"   
  
I did, slamming the door angrily. The invader attacked again. And I knew I could not die. Not just yet. I could die later. For now I had to live for some unfinished business.  
  
I will stop her. I swear I will.  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	9. Reunited

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 9 : Reunited****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  
I stayed with Erinko and Yoji longer. They welcomed me but not my drug. I tried to change. They helped me. And I did change. For the short span of one month, my eye bugs disappeared, I bathed regularly, my speech became clear, I regained my old body, and lost the overly thin and sickly looking body of mine. I ate thrice a day, slept right, and thought and spoke, and yes, even laughed the way I used to.  
  
They didn't know anything though, and it took a while before I could trust again. They tried talking me of going back with Ran, but I refused, and they asked why but I would not answer until finally, I was able to summon up the courage to tell them about what they deserved to know.   
  
I told them everything. Well, not everything but mainly why I refused to go back and why I was so consumed in the White Rabbit. It shocked them both. Kudou most especially. He confessed to me that it was their mission to kill the White Rabbit, but was more shocked at the fact that Ran did not turn me in. I myself was surprised, I admitted.  
  
Nonetheless, even now that they knew how evil I was, and the crimes I committed, both of them remained supportive and kind to me, especially during that time that I was beginning to stand up from where I had fallen. Both of them said they will help me find my father and Aya.  
  
One time as I stood on their balcony thinking Erinko came up to me and we sort of had a pep talk. She told me not to think I was a evil, because if I was evil, what would she be? With a hug, I assured her she was not evil. In fact, she had become my angel. And she said the same nice words about me.   
  
"Aya will understand," she said, placing her soft hands on my shoulder, looking somewhere I could not see. "He'll forgive you and accept you."  
  
"But Tomoe-"   
  
"Yoji said he doesn't really love Sakura the same way Sakura loves him. I'm not saying he doesn't love Sakura. But why he became so attached to her is because she reminded him of Aya. Aside from a pure sisterly love, there is nothing else..There is only one woman he'll love the way he never did..and you know who that is.."  
  
"I don't know, Erinko."  
  
"Do you love him at all, Kasumi?"  
  
I didn't say anything. I turned to meet her earnest eyes. "What do you think?"  
  
"Very badly," she answered frankly meeting my eyes.  
  
"Just as I feared," I admitted with a sigh.  
  
"Be true to yourself. We both know you need him."  
  
Silence.   
  
"Listen to me Kasumi. He needs you just as much as you need him. Can't you see, he's all alone now and suffering?"  
  
Finally, I agreed.   
  
To be true to myself.   
  
So the night after, Yoji and Erinko drove me to his apartment. The two came out first and asked Ran to come out. My heart beat faster against my chest, all the blood seemed to go to my face. I was excited, yet scared and anxious and hesitant. I had never been so scared of being rejected before.  
  
He came out holding with one hand his coat. In seeing me, he dropped it unconsciously to the ground. I just stood beside the car, watching him. I wondered if he would accept me..ever again..  
  
"Hi," I greeted him hesitantly, my voice trembling.   
  
"Welcome home."   
  
Tears trickled down my face. Smiling, I ran to him and threw my arms around him. I didn't know if he hugged me back, but knowing he accepted and forgave me was all enough.   
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	10. Life In Order

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 10 : Life in Order ****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  
A new fresh start was what awaited me. I lived with him again, a simple clean life of truth and virtue, just like when I was still teaching. The pain of the loss of my father, the loss of his sister was still there, but together, we managed to make it through our everyday life. He filled the largest missing void in my heart. I didn't know about him, since he was not showy or anything, but I knew I already meant something to him.   
  
The first week with him, I went with him to visit Sakura in the hospital who was still unconscious. Then he went with me to the temple, Old Amaru's temple , the very place I could bring myself to look at. But now I faced my fears. With new hope.   
  
The lost days were over. It was moving on. Nonetheless, we had not forgotten the people who were gone. We vowed we'd get them back, no matter what.   
  
On with the plan we were not able to actualize, we decided to continue it. This time, he included Erinko and Yoji. He's began to trust Erinko. After all, Erinko saved me.   
  
It will be easier this time. For one thing, I lost my frequent invader. For more than a span of two months, it had not visited me. Probably because it had found itself a much much more vulnerable victim. But Ms. Invader was going to pay. I was so sure of that.   
  
I worked at the flower shop again. They welcomed me back. There I was introduced by Omi to Ohno Yuki, a high school girl with short black hair, lively jet black eyes and very white complexion. She was one of the usual visitors of the shop. The other one was Takahashi Jun, a biker like Hidaka who had become pretty close to him, judging from the way they talked and laughed together.  
  
This time, though, I had the nerve to approach Ohno Gen and his friend Ryuugasaki Seiji when they visited Ken and Omi. And they recognized me.   
  
"Sensei!" they both yelled and ran to me.   
  
Happily, I hugged them close to me. Oh, how I missed them! I must have not seen them for more than six months already.   
  
They began asking questions about me and why I stopped teaching. I didn't know how to answer, and Kudou, in seeing this, winked at them. "You see kids, sensei is married. That's why she can't teach."  
  
"Yoji!" I scolded him.  
  
He just laughed and went on entertaining their questions. "So what if she's married?" "What's married?" "How long?" "Is she expecting a baby?" "Who's her husband?"  
  
Though I tried telling them otherwise, Kudou's pretty convinced them I was indeed married. Nevertheless it was really one of the best excuses.   
  
They told all the others back at the dojo about me and so the next day some others visited me. My two friends who were also teachers, Fujioka Aiko and Yamada Masahiko and three other students, Mika, Kyouko and Hideaki accompanied Seiji and Gen the very next day. The news about me married AND pregnant spread around quickly.   
  
"So you're married?" Aiko asked hesitantly looking a little uneasy. She was aware Masahiko had slight interest in me.  
  
"No," I said defensively.  
  
"Come on, Kasumi. You don't have to deny it. We'll understand," Aiko assured. "So who's the guy?" Her face was unable to register a definite expression. It was a combination of disbelief, confusion, sadness, relief, surprise...and was that a look of betrayal? There was a long silence that I debated to myself whether to lie or not. Then she forced out a chuckle. "So who's the unfortunate one?"  
  
I laughed at this. Aiko had a big sense of humor. Unfortunately she was neither a good liar nor a good pretender. It was all written in her face and in her eyes.  
  
"Well," I began uncertainly. Just then my sight began to blur. I dropped whatever I was holding.   
  
This alerted Yoji and Ran as the others wondered if it was a boy or a girl.   
  
"What's wrong?" Masahiko asked, obviously worried.   
  
"No-no-nothing," I stammered, my vision blurred more. "Ran!" I yelled frantically.  
  
He was outside watering the plants, but he had set it all aside to check on me.  
  
"It's returned," I told him.   
  
"I see," he answered.  
  
"What returned?" Omi and Aiko asked in unison.  
  
They didn't get any answers. Instantly, right before my visions totally blurred, I felt Ran's hand grip my shoulders and pull me to him in a kiss. This time, though he had to do it longer and more fervently than before. I guess it was like the drug. The more you use it the more you need. This means larger amount than the previous to get the same satisfaction (uhh..in my case the word was not the result)I was pacified much later on.  
  
"So he's the guy," Aiko concluded loudly.  
  
Masahiko witnessed everything with his own eyes. I felt sorry for him. He walked out in silence. Aiko followed, saying polite good-byes.  
  
It was a big puzzle. The Invader visited me once more after such a long time. My life was going to be ruined once more. It scared me.   
  
But Ran was determined to overcome it.  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	11. Invader : The Return

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 1****1 : Invader - The Return ****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  
  
She's returned.   
  
The Invader. The mere thought troubled me.   
  
Dozens of questions swarm in my head. What more could it want from me? Why? Why has it returned? What have I done to make it come back? How could I get rid of it for good? What will happen next? Will..will I do something I will regret again?  
  
Why me?  
  
I couldn't grasp any answer to my question.   
  
We ate in complete silence. After I finished with the dishes, I prepared to have my shower. I had actually began to lock the doors again and regain my long lost sanity. I had forgotten about the invader. However, right in the middle of my bathing, the invader tried to control my mind. Hurriedly, I grabbed a towel, wrapped it around me and went to Ran dripping wet as soon as possible before it could invade me completely. "It's here again."  
  
He was on his room, emerged in silence, probably thinking about Aya. God, I missed Aya too. He sat up straight quickly. I ran to him, knelt down before him, shutting my eyes. "Why do you think it's returned?" I asked, trembling. I didn't know if it was cold or it was just me and my fear. Goosebumps appeared on my skin. Suddenly, all around me, everything began to move in a huge swirl, everything blurred, faster and faster. I screamed. I felt his hand on my head, then he pulled it up to meet his. Another kiss. But it was not as easy as it used to be. This time, the visions seemed to become stronger and stronger. He realized that and pulled me up, circling his arms around my waist. He kissed me madly in my cold lips. I kissed him back. I felt his tongue with my own. The visions..they were still there. I was going to scream but he covered my mouth with more fervent kisses.   
  
"Fight it," he whispered in my ear.  
  
"I'm trying," I replied, wrapping my arms tighter around his neck.   
  
We fell on the bed, him atop of me. He kissed me more and more. My eyes suddenly flew wide open, my nails scratching him. The invader was winning. He kissed me further, his mouth traveled to my neck and down to my chest as he held me down tightly so as not to let me go.  
  
This seemed to work. It stopped. I breathed hard. He stopped too and looked at me. "I think it's gone," I said. For now, I added to myself.   
  
This was when we realized what we had done, and he tried getting of me, apologizing quietly. "I'm sorry I had to do that," he mumbled.  
  
This annoyed me. "I'm sorry you didn't like it," I snapped irritably. I didn't know what I was to be mad about, but that was just the way I was. The words just came out of my mouth.   
  
"That's not what I meant --"  
  
"Yeah right," I muttered, sitting up straight.   
  
"What? Do you want me to do it again?"  
  
I slapped him across the face. The second time around. But this time I wasn't apologizing. I adjusted the towel and stood up to leave, but he grabbed my arm and threw me back to the bed. he came atop of me, overcoming my strength.  
  
You know what happened next.   
  
  
Ohnno was the first figure I was able to make out of as I came to the shop the next day. Her interest in Tsukiyono was quite apparent as his was to her. There was also Jun the biker and Ken's love interest. Tall, slender and athletic, she seemed to catch Ken's undivided attention whenever she would walk in with a shout as a greeting to each one of us with a wide smile on her face. Her hair was brown - long and brown - tied behind her in queue, her eyes the same shade with a bright sparkle. Damn she reminded me of my students. Everything reminded me of something.   
  
Ran and I began conceiving plans to attack the port. That night we were determined to get Aya. We had not forgotten about Mr. and Mrs. Kudou either. We owed them a lot. As for the two other lover boys, we decided to count them out. They sure were enjoying their lives and it was my decision, seeing Jun and Yuki with bright smiles, to give them a break.  
  
Our plan, I had to admit was not really of any major perfection. We were so limited in every ways. In fact, we both sort of just counted on chances. We knew the probability of our failing was high, but we had the will. The will to take the risk. It was now or never. Take it or leave it. We could no longer wait. Because waiting may be too late.  
  
However, as we were already in the port, ready to further execute our plan, I saw the same ole pal I saw just some time ago.  
  
The White Rabbit.  
  
What the --?!  
  
Instinctively, I followed it.  
  
"Kanzaki!" Erinko and Yoji both hissed with surprise.  
  
"I saw it too," Ran said.  
  
"What? Saw what?" Kudou asked  
  
"Oh great. Not that again!" Erinko let out a groan.  
  
Kudou sort of understood it from the way I looked. "So there's a change of plans..."he concluded.  
  
Both Ran and I nodded and we split up immediately to catch it. The couple followed. Several minutes later, we managed to catch up with it, the four of us in points surrounding it. Obviously from its stance, it was looking for a way out. But we would not give it a chance. No way.   
  
However, before anything else could happen, chains had seized my leg and arm, Erinko's waist, and the Rabbit's neck. The two guys on the other hand had jumped and missed it.   
  
"We got you, didn't we?" a seductive male voice asked smugly, then chuckled. It was too dark; I could not see a thing; not even the source of the chains. Then he and his comrades emerged from their hiding places, three of whom had caught us with their weapons.   
  
"Erinko!" Kudou yelled from the roof.  
  
"What? You mean someone's escaped?" the male one demanded irritably. He was a tall lanky guy with a cowboy hat. It was hard to distinguish his facial features, even the color of his hair, since it was dark. All I could see was his hair was long, reaching his shoulders, and he was being a total smug. It appeared as though he was the leader.  
  
He shouted orders to attack Kudou and his men followed. Damn Yoji, you were so reckless. The chain around my leg and arm tightened, and I knew Erinko was having a hard time too. And especially the rabbit. It must be choking already. We tried to get loose but the more we try the more it tightened. It was then ,as Aya , I mean Ran, jumped down with his sword meaningfully blazing for the chains around me, that I realized Yoji was just being a decoy. Ran had attacked when all others were busy with Yoji. He slashed the chains around Erinko and the Rabbit, then he turned back to me and pulled me along with him. Darn my leg hurt and arm.  
  
Needless to say, we failed. No Aya, no Rabbit. We didn't lose but we didn't win either. But we still believed we will win later.  
  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	12. The Identity of the White Rabbit

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 12 : The Identity of the White Rabbit****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  


  
The mysterious identity of my successor as the notorious White Rabbit haunted me. For nights it would not let me sleep, I would toss and turn in my bed - ahem, in Ran's bed - endlessly. Then there was the constant invader. She offered me no choices, talked not once to me and just attempted to take control of my already "orderly" life, as I put it, and forced me to do something for her. The fear didn't leave me.   
  
What came to my realization was far from expected. Neither me nor Ran would suspect that the next White Rabbit was who we found it to be. But it was, and we had evidence.   
  
It all started with the usual day a the flower shop - Jun arriving in her bike early in the morning, Ohno Yuki earlier and us doing the same chores. It was Friday, three days later from out failed attack at the port. Friday, as Ohno, in a deep v-neck pink blouse and blue skirt, had answered when I asked why she wasn't in a uniform. Politely she bowed to us her usual show of courtesy. I asked no more though I was asking myself, 'so what if it's Friday?'.  
  
Ran walked to me and whispered in my ears. "Did you see that?"   
  
"What?" I asked innocently. I didn't see anything. Was Ran staring at her chest? I watched as the girl ran to Omi and they were talking happily as though we didn't exist.  
  
"Her neck."  
  
"What's with her neck?"  
  
He took my arm and ran his fingers lightly beside the mark of the chains. He seemed to be studying it carefully. Quietly I looked at him and he met my eyes. I didn't like what he was implying. "She has these marks. On her neck."  
  
"Are you sure?" I asked him.  
  
He didn't answer and just stared back at me. "See it for yourself," he replied then left me thinking very hard about what he said.   
  
It could be coincidences. It could be just some other marks. It could be just an illusion. It could be..could be anything but that! I wondered how I was going to be able to see clearly and closely without having to scare Yuki off.  
  
The plan Yoji had was to spill something on her blouse then make her take it off so we could take a closer look. "So I can have a closer look," I corrected him. He just laughed.  
  
I bought his plan anyway. Instead of looking and acting suspicious that won't just scare the girl but also even offend her, this mild-sorry-it's-an-accident -oh-what's-that? technique seemed a lot applicable.  
  
Of course, Omi would not do anything to turn off Yuki much more spill something on her nifty pink blouse, and Hidaka was busy with Jun, while Ran was too grave it would not look like an accident at all, leaving me and Yoji to do our little plan. It was going to go like this : I would pass by carrying a pail of water to water whatever was the plant nearest them then Kudou would ran for some unknown reasons (they wont notice it; they were too engrossed with each other anyways) and "accidentally" shove me and the water would spill over Yuki.  
  
So we went on with our scheme.  
  
I spilled on both Omi and Yuki, and even myself. The girl screamed. "Oh no!" I cried out, muttering sorries. This got Ken's attention only for a while as he went to get towels which were tossed on us then his attention was back to Jun. Ran was outside and he could not give a damn about what's going on inside. He probably have realized what we were up to.   
  
"I'm really so sorry --" I tried to say.  
  
"No it's my fault," Yoji tried to apologize.  
  
"It's ok, Miss Kanzaki, Mr. Kudou" Yuki assured with a smile.   
  
"It's my fault anyway."  
  
"Oh no it's my fault really," I told her. Poor girl.   
  
"You're skirt's drenched," Omi told her, wiping his shirt with the towel Hidaka tossed.   
  
"I know. I guess I have to go home to change."  
  
"Oh no," I said quickly. Sneaking a look at Kudou who nodded at me, I went on. "I have uh..ah..a some change of clothes anyways at the basement. Or if I don't I'll take you to a shop to get one.. "She looked at me, confused. "Well..because..it makes me feel bad about this accident..and somehow I feel obliged to make up for it..Do you understand?"  
  
She just grinned at me. "Oh that's fine, really Miss Kanzaki. You don't have to. I mean things happen.."  
  
But I insisted. Yoji even helped me insist. "She's gonna hate me for this. I mean I shoved her..'  
  
Finally, she agreed. Omi was skeptic, and was trying to read what was behind our faces. He knew.  
  
After finding Aya's remaining clothes in the basement and Ran's orange sweater, we locked up ourselves in the bathroom with the clothes and the towel. And right when she was in her bra, I asked her, looking at the marks on her neck, very similar to mine, "What's that?"  
  
Her eyes were somewhere, avoiding mine. "Ah this? That's from the necklace I wore."  
  
"Really?" I asked, stopping to watch her doubtfully. She was a good liar, but I already knew what I knew. I could not blame her; I'd lie as well if I were in her position.   
  
"What? Do you think I'm lying?" she asked defensively, pressing the towel on her arms.  
  
"No," I replied casually. "It's just that I have the same marks and they were not from wearing a necklace."  
  
She stopped putting on Aya's clothes to look at me steadily, her mood suddenly changing. "What do you mean?" It was as though I had turned to a friend from an enemy.   
  
I pulled up the sleeves of Ran's sweatshirt. "It still hurts," I told her.  
  
For a long time she gazed at it without a word, then traced her fingers lightly on it. "Where's this from then?"  
  
"Where's that from?" I asked her.  
  
Her head looked up so that her eyes would meet mine. It softened, then tears began to well up to the corner of her eyes. "I don't know. I really don't. Sometimes --" she tried to say some more but she could not. More tears fell. I held her close to me, burying her head on my chest.   
  
That was how we found out who the Rabbit was.  
  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	13. Ohno Yuki

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 13 : ****Ohno Yuki****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  


  
Ohno Yuki confessed to me everything. She trusted me and a new light of hope sparkled in knowing she was not alone. How her world had turned around some time ago right after she was rescued. Her experiences were no different from mine; she would see images, her sight blurred, she would wake up to find herself in the least expected places, wondering what happened or what she had done without having anybody to tell her. One time she woke up half-naked, another with a beaten friend by her feet. It was horrifying her, just as it horrified me. Her situation was not very hard to understand. I've been through the same. I told her all about me, the same things that had happened to me, and now it's coming back.   
  
"So how do you fight it?" she asked me, as we drank tea at the teahouse nearby.  
  
I just grinned at her.  
  
  
Ran was the first person I talked to regarding Ohno. His eyes were serious, and I knew once again his thoughts had gone to his sister. He was already thinking of how he could make Ohno lead him to where his sister was. And my father. They could be together.  
  
What we had come to conclude was tell the first person who could help her : Tsukiyono. But we were not able to tell him until the girl was attacked by the Invader right before us, Omi hell surprised as ever.  
  
"Kiss her," I ordered, pushing him.  
  
"What?" he asked in disbelief.  
  
"Just do it, Omi," Yoji advised.  
  
"But --" he tried to protest. He was a gentleman all right.  
  
"Omi!" Kudou and I yelled in unison.  
  
The shop would tear apart if she was not calmed down, or if no one would suppress her.   
  
Tsukiyono was still hesitant. "I'll do it," Ran muttered, almost to himself, striding calmly to the girl.  
  
I didn't know how to react to this. It was hard to give it a "professional" view over it. I felt a surge of jealousy hit me, but I said nothing, and just watched him hold the girl steady and kiss her. It took long. It pacified the girl only a bit at first, but his kiss didn't seem to have any effect on her as it did to me.   
  
"What's he doing?" Omi asked loudly.   
  
I rolled my eyes irritably at Omi, laying a hand on his shoulder. I could just slap him that time. The first time. "What you should be doing," I answered, annoyed.  
  
Kudou laid a hand on my shoulder. "Cool it off, Kasumi. Let's just call it quits." He winked at me. Of course. He kissed me too.   
  
I decided not to let my emotions get in the way. It was just a kiss. Ran's kiss didn't seem to work, though, and we had to almost push Omi to do it. He did. She calmed down and took several minutes to recover herself. God, I was so relieved.   
  
We talked to both of them regarding what was happening. The two of them found it hard to believe, but they had no choice. It was all reality. But Omi was willing to help Yuki. Lucky girl. That made two of us.  
  
The next thing we had to do was slash the mask. If only we knew where it was. But when I checked out the bin beside the restaurant, there was no mask there, nor any other stuffs aside from trash.  
  
In my mind, there were puzzles. I wondered what were the invader's basis to choose her victim. I wondered why Ran's kiss didn't work, and had finalized a theory. It was not just the kiss. It was the emotion with the kiss. The emotion from Ran, his love and the peace within himself, passed on to me. But with Yuki, he did not carry the same emotion. Or even if he did, it was too weak to help her. Omi was then the potential 'savior' of Yuki. I kept all these, however , to myself. It was enough knowing who had to kiss who.   
  
Ohno was terrified, and she ran to our apartment, crying one late afternoon. "I think I killed someone," she confessed to me between sobs. "She's unconscious when I woke up and.." More sobs.   
  
I just hugged her close to me. Same to her, the Invader was attacking me once more. We later learned her 'victim' was just brought to the hospital, but for that, the girl was traumatized. She decided to move in with me and stop school temporarily while her mind was being raped. Again, like me, she understood she was a danger to everyone. I understood her.  
  
Ran agreed to let her move in with us, with Aya's room as her room. Omi had helped her propose what she had in mind to him, and thankfully, he understood. However, there were some problems with her legal guardians, and she told me the simplest way she had in mind was just to write a letter to them saying she had eloped with the man she loved. This of course, would leave things as it was : no cops. "It will break their hearts," she said sadly, "But it will break mine to see them dead later. It's for their own good."  
  
So, Ohno Yuki had disappeared.   
  
Few days later, after some more attacks by the Invader, we conceived the need to have Omi stay with her. Tsukiyono, understanding the situation, moved in with us, staying in my room which permanently deposited me with Ran in his room.   
  
One night, as I sat down on my part of the bed, I heard Yuki's scream. I shut my eyes.  
  
"What?" Ran asked.  
  
"Do you think they'll go through it?" I asked him as I lied down. He slipped his hands through mine, his eyes glued on the ceiling.   
  
"They will."   
  
  
The invader attacked Yuki often than me, probably because I was a sort of a "veteran" while the girl was still a starter. However, the occurrences of her as the White Rabbit happened about three times before Omi was able to crush the mask.   
  
The first one happened and we didn't even notice it. The newspaper read, "The White Rabbit Injures 2" and it happened during daylight, probably because we could not monitor her during that time.  
  
The next one, I saw while I bathed Yuki skip silently from the window of Aya's room, and immediately I told the two others about it, following her in my bathrobe. I lost her however, and no matter how hard I searched t, it was too impossible to find a needle in a haystack.  
  
The last one was the one where we were able to track her down, and ended up in the market place. There while running after the Rabbit, somebody attacked me, somebody I could not distinguish who and I didn't remember meeting anywhere before. I guess I was becoming way popular, like a magnet suddenly attracting without even the least bit intention to do so.   
  
With Ran's help, I rid of my new attacker. Luckily, there were three of us, and during our absence, Tsukiyono was able to wreck the mask and save Ohno from doing any more crimes.   
  
  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	14. Another Rabbit

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 14 : Another Rabbit ****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  


  
What shocked me, and yes, even enraged me more, was the fact of another Rabbit. This time, the Invader had gone too far. Just too far.   
  
And guess who the victim was.   
  
Tsukiyono Omi.  
  
Poor boy.  
  
When the invader first attacked, it was late afternoon in the shop. Ohno was not around and at the apartment, still in hiding with Ran. Me and Ran had made this sort of schedule to go with either of them, and that time, I was with Omi, and there was not much of a choice but to kiss him. I was afraid my kiss would not work, but luckily, it did. I guess probably I had this compassionate and sincere platonic love for the boy. But it took long, and a lot stares from the customers, including Hidaka , who right after, probably because of the reality that suddenly hit him in Jun's absence, demanded an explanation of what was really going on. Welcome to the real world, lover boy. We explained to him everything. Omi got an unplanned sleep, and while he rested on the bed, Yoji and I, as we guarded the flower shop, took turns explaining to him everything. He just nodded as he got what he wanted.  
  
The Invader was wise. She knew how to outwit us, and turned Yuki's strength into her weakness, and vise versa. Now we had to moderate really badly. But I wondered why she didn't try the same trick with Ran Fujimiya.   
  
The worse came of it ; Yuki and Omi would get random attacks at the randomest time and randomest place. We had to be prepared at all times. Perhaps the Invader was still testing their minds. I could not wait to get my hands on her whoever she was.  
  
The two White Rabbits joined forces right at the middle of the dark and cold midnight. Ran woke me up after finding them both gone and both their windows open. We separated ways to find them only to meet up later by the port where we were lead by the Rabbits. Much worse was when the same seductive male bastard attacked us, getting in the way. He had the worst hate for us and for the Rabbits, suggesting the idea that the Rabbits and whoever manipulated them, was in no connection for the Inoue Syndicate who was responsible for the kidnap of my father and Aya. Then, who could that Invader be and what could she want?   
  
Omi had approached me one time, and he, like me and Yuki, loathed everything that was going on. He cried, and I hugged him close to me, like an older sister would to a younger brother, or probably even a mother to her son. I loved Omi, and he was the first person who I liked among the four of them. He was nice and gentle enough to me it was hard not to like him. He helped me when I needed it most and he took care of me. I knew the kindness of his heart, the purity of his soul, and I will be for the rest of my life be grateful to him. Just like Erinko.  
  
  
I wanted to be able to help them. They were still young and had something bright ahead of them. While me...maybe it would be better if it would be me alone who would suffer.  
  
The invader seemed to have been able to read what was on my mind. And as usual, while I bathed, she came to me, this time, not as the aggressive invader she really was but instead disguised herself as an ally.  
  
I want you, she was saying in a gentle voice.  
  
"I don't just give myself to anyone who wants me, you know," I replied coldly, and went on combing my not-so silky hair. Then I realized I didn't have to open my mouth to tell her that. I just have to reply in my thoughts.  
  
The invader was persistent. I'll give you what you want.  
  
Indeed?! I responded casually in my mind. I'll just ride to anything she said.   
  
Let's make a deal.  
  
Deal rejected, I told her even before she could start.  
  
Oh girl, listen to my proposal first. Give it a chance.  
  
I'm sure you have some awesome proposals up your sleeve. Unfortunately, I don't trust you.   
  
That is so offending.  
  
I know.  
  
I trust you, my child Kasumi. Whatever you think of me, I will always believe in you.  
  
Such nice words. I was suddenly confused why she would say such things. But I didn't pay much attention to it, until later, when I realized what she was implying.  
  
Work for me. Once again, Kasumi. You're the best rabbit I ever had.  
  
Give me one good reason why I should.  
  
Only one? Too bad. I have four.  
  
Really? How interesting? Name one.  
  
Kanzaki Keisuke. Another? Fujimiya Aya. The third and fourth? Ohno Yuki and Tsukiyono Omi. What do you say?  
  
I dropped my comb. For some moments, I was just dumbfounded , staring at the mirror but unable to see myself. I saw four different images. I didn't know if it was me or the invader who decided to apply special effects to convince me.   
  
I was silent. I didn't know. My confusion was becoming stronger and stronger. "You cheat!" I yelled and punched at the mirror. She just wanted me to bite the bait by using the people I care about. The mirror shattered. My fist bled. When I pulled my fist away, some shattered pieces fell down the sink. I decided to control myself in order not to disturb Ran in another of my sanity problems. I was determined to try to do it myself, even at least once. Fight the invader alone.  
  
Really, my girl. You have to learn to trust in me. Just as I trust in you.  
  
My fists clenched hard. STOP TELLING ME TO TRUST IN YOU! I HATE YOU!! YOU DESTROYED MY LIFE! YOU MADE ME DO THINGS FOR YOU WHILE I PAY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES! YOU...BITCH!  
  
I understand how you feel --  
  
NO YOU DON'T! If you do, then why do you go on?! You violated my free will, you ruined everything! EVERYTHING!  
  
That's why I'm here to fix it again.  
  
You're just going to fool me once again, aren't you?   
  
She was irritated by my show of skepticism. Stop thinking so low of me, woman, she snapped. I'm here to make a deal. Take it or leave it. I'll help you find your father and that girl, Fujimiya, plus I'll stop torturing the two, Tsukiyono and Ohno. In return you must work for me, submit yourself to me. Is that fair enough?  
  
I still doubted her, although the deal sounded good to me. Just tell me one thing. Why me? Why are you doing this?  
  
You're the best, Kasumi. You have the will and the ability. As well as the strength. All powered by your emotions.  
  
My hands gripped on the side of the sink were some fallen pieces of the mirror were. It pierced through my skin and my hands bled. I didn't understand anything. I was totally confused. Torn between two paths. To return to the dark path in order to save those I love, or to stick to the straight path with the man I love. It was a hard decision. But both sides had one thing in common : the people I love. And whether I accept the deal or not, it was for my love for them. I wanted to save my father and Aya, as well as spare Tsukiyono and Ohno of the hells of being the rabbit. On the other hand, one of the best things that happened to me was Ran. I never wanted to leave him ever again. Only by his side that I could feel really safe. And happy.  
  
Nevertheless, I accepted the invader's offer. Tears trickled down to my cheeks and to the fallen pieces of the shattered mirror that lay messily around the sink. I didn't want to go back. But I had to do what I must.  
  
She gave me specific instructions right after. The very next day, I would be hers.  
  
  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	15. The Invader

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 15 : The Invader****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  


  
Her name was Nishida. Nishida Reira. A girl probably as old as my mom if my mom was alive. She even showed herself to me while I drank beer in the dwelling place she readied for me.  
  
It was as though she had planned everything. Everything planned weeks ago. It was as though she knew what was going to happen.   
  
The very next day, I left my new home, and Ran, for the place Reira told me to go. A room somewhat larger than Yoji and Erinko's apartment, quite spacious, with a bed, one couch, a refrigerator filled with cans of beer and some food. There was a closet where I would be wearing my new set of clothes, as well as weapons and another mask. Mask of the White Rabbit.   
  
she instructed me to cut my hair. to ear length. It will serve as an symbol, as well as a reminder and a proof, that I was bounded to her. I will regain my freedom once it touches my shoulder.  
  
That late afternoon, while I settled in the bed she prepared, she appeared to me. Despite her age, she was still graceful and beautiful, and her figure was well maintained.   
  
she told me she was a lover of my father, Kanzaki Keisuke. Whether or not she was telling the truth, I didn't know. But it made sense to me why she was so desperate to find him. It was also a reason for another thing : the death of Kikuchi Mariko. Why "I" killed Kikuchi Mariko was her intention. After all, Mariko was the fiancée of my father. Also, why she referred to me as "my child" answered that question. I kept these theories to myself, however. I was too deranged to think, and even argue.  
  
She also told me of the Inoue syndicate. According to her, as far as she knew, the syndicate kidnapped my father by mistake. The story went like this : before the Inoue syndicate, there were the three German oldies called Kritiker who kidnapped Fujimiya Aya in order to perform ritual with her body, since they claimed her body had an unnatural ability. When they died, and Fujimiya was saved, the plan was temporarily put to a halt. Later, the Inoue syndicate, which was headed by the husband and wife Inoue, friends of the three Kritikers, decided to continue the project. However, they learned that two other women had the same abilities as that of Fujimiya Aya : Ohno Yuki and me, Kanzaki Kasumi. By mistake, they kidnapped my father. But to Reira's confusion, they didn't return him and didn't look as though they intended to.   
  
"So you're saying I should be the one kidnapped?" I asked, lifting the can of beer away from my mouth. I didn't know whether or not she made it up and whether or not to buy it, but it sure answered most questions in my head. But what made me wonder was how she could know all these things. On the other hand, she had the ability to enter my mind . It wouldn't be impossible for her to access the information regarding a large underground syndicate.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
I just bought whatever she said, and stopped trying to think if it was true or no. Heck I could not care less about the facts regarding the f*cking syndicate. All I wanted was to save Aya and my father.  
  
She was aware of that urge in my mind. In my heart. I guess I did have the will after all. Powered by my emotions.  
  
The plan was to attack as soon as I'm ready, before it was too late. And I did, wearing the mask of the White Rabbit, one night.  
  
  
With Reira's help, I was able to find Fujimiya Aya. She was locked up in one room in one building, also in the Port. The sixth floor. The room was lit , showing her figure sitting on one table, constantly looking at the window. I was crouching above one roof not so far away with binoculars on. It could only be her. I decided to move. Finding one guard who I ,with out any hesitation, slugged unconscious , I then took his uniform and some weapons with me. After hiding his body, I proceeded to the building where I was allowed inside in seeing my clothes.   
  
Reira continued guiding me all the way, telling me how I should be able to reach Aya. When I reach her, it shouldn't be so hard, since she was alone. I turned the knob on the door Reira referred to only to find it locked. Someone opened it. I was wrong. Aya was not alone. Two men was with her in the room.  
  
The girl didn't even look up. She kept her eyes to the table then to the window and back.   
  
One guarding her demanded what I wanted. " Uh," I mumbled hesitantly, trying to think. It was becoming more and more obvious.   
  
Reira supplied me with something. Aya is called by the boss. I said it out loud.  
  
The girl looked up and saw me but didn't recognize me because of the disguise. I had on the guard's clothes as well as his jacket and even his cap which I used to hide my face.   
  
"How come we were not informed of that?" the other one asked.   
  
"The communication line is having tech problems," I replied becoming more and more casual.  
  
The guard took his radio and pressed buttons. "It's working," he told me suspiciously.  
  
I was running out of excuses so I decided to do what I came for. Quickly, I withdrew two guns and aimed it at them. The cap fell off revealing my short hair. Both of them were taken by surprise.   
  
Aya's eyes shone with tears in seeing me. "Ka..su..mi..?" she asked as though unwilling to believe.   
  
"Get behind me, Aya," I ordered her as I kept my eyes on the two men and my guns pointing at them.  
  
She obeyed me quickly. But one guard was able to press something on his radio which only some seconds later alerted the alarm. I fired both guns but only hit on man. In less than a minute, I heard noises heading our way. I continued to fire and miss, and so did the other one remaining.   
  
There was no other way out but the window. I aimed the guns at the glass window and fired. It shattered to pieces.   
  
"Hold on to me," I instructed the girl, who despite of her fear, did as she was told. When one of my guns was empty, I threw it at the newcomers, while the other gun went on firing. My other free hand held Aya's waist as we jumped down the building. Luckily, we landed on the water. Though cold, it was better than having landed on the ground or we would have died.  
  
There was a rain of bullets to the waters, but since it was night, hitting us was far from possible. I took her with me as I swam close to the shore where we would not be hit. We stayed there in complete silence for half an hour or so until they had concluded we had escaped. When everything was calm and their guard systems was not on full blast, we escaped.   
  
  
Me and Aya were not able to celebrate for our reunion, although obviously, she was very thankful and even cried in my arms when we were alone. She demanded why I didn't go home to the apartment and instead went home to another place instead. I told her the simple truth : that I had left her brother. It frustrated her and she begged me to come home with her, but I refused. I just looked into her eyes, and when she refused to go home to her brother without me, I sent her unconscious with one blow and carried her to Ran's apartment where I went in through the window. I told Reira I didn't want the girl to remember anything, especially my dwelling place , since she might try to visit me. Reira took the matter in her hands.   
  
Everything in the apartment looked the same. As though nothing happened. Nobody seemed to be there. I was laying Aya down gently when I realized someone was actually watching. Yuki.  
  
"Take care of her, Yuki. get her a change of clothes, " I told her, refusing to meet her imploring eyes. Even she was asking me questions.   
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
I wasn't going to answer, but when she attempted to say something about Ran, I cut her short. "I must go."  
  
I left as quickly as I could.   
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	16. Dad and his Juliet

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 16 : Dad and his Juliet****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  


I head to the port again a week later, after trying to heal some of my minor wounds and get myself ready for another fight. I had finally saved Aya. The only one left was my father.   
  
Reira said she will be with me on the way. All the way.  
  
I followed her instructions, of where I should jump next to, where I should head next, what I should be carrying as my weapons and where were the least populated areas I could go to. I reached the port in an hour and a half.  
  
The basement of one storage house was where I could see my father. There, after encountering many other guards who all ended up lying on the floor, I got to the room where they were in. It was not that easy, but at least, easier than I had expected considering the fact that I had Reira monitoring my surrounding and informing me of an enemy's presence. she must love my father very badly.   
  
The storage house was large and spacious, heavily guarded. On one I could see a large glass tube filled with green liquid. Only its upper portion were visible from where I was. I realized then that there was a lower floor than where I was right then. when I sneaked a peak , all I saw in the lower floor were people milling around busily in white, the large more than twenty feet tall glass tube, a metal plate right beside it, and some monitors constantly blinking lights. Just like a lab.  
  
But I decided it wasn't the time for sightseeing. I should try locating my father. After opening several doors hastily, I found him, at last. With a woman.  
  
Immediately, he jumped up, ready to defend the woman he was with. I removed my mask. It took time before he could actually react to it. He just stared at me, as I stared back at him, my eyes filled with tears. I missed him. Very badly.   
  
Slowly, he reached up to touch my face, wiping my tears. "Kasumi. Kasumi-chan.." Even he was not far from crying. I hugged him tightly. He hugged me back. God. After so long time, I finally hugged him. Then he released me and turning to the woman, he told her. "My daughter. My one and only daughter, Kasumi." To me, he said, "Masako Inoue. The woman I love now."  
  
Inoue? My forehead wrinkled. My eyes turned to the woman who smiled at me and bowed politely. She was young, younger than Reira, Mariko or even my mother, at least. Nonetheless, she looked mature. I was too confused to even pay her respects.  
  
As though reading my mind, my father explained. "Yes. She's the daughter of the late head of the syndicate. But she disapproved of the illegal activities her family was involved with. That's why she's here locked up with me. Labeled traitor by the new head when she saved my life."  
  
I nodded silently. I see. He placed an arm protectively around her shoulders and she leaned her head on his. I didn't know whether or not to be pleased or irritated. My father could be a sucker for women. He finds love in the least expected times and places. Nevertheless, I had not much of a choice when it came to his interests and loves. He had his own mind and his own heart. I made it a rule to respect it, no matter what. The sounds outside the room told me to stop the party and go on with the plans. I told them to hurry outside in a place I know I had eliminated all guards while I confront the newcomers. I received some injuries from them but I did manage to get them out of my way.   
  
We met outside by the port. It was becoming harder and harder for me. Both of them were worried in seeing me almost beaten up but I told them they didn't have much time. They must escape.   
  
They looked at each other. "There's no escape."  
  
"Of course there is."  
  
" Where? How? "  
  
By the corner of my eyes, I saw a large traveling ship. It seemed the only way out now. But they decided not to take my present address in fear for my life. Besides that, I didn't have any "present address". While them, I didn't know where they would be taken. Nonetheless, I didn't hesitate to let them go. With all the money I had, I bought two last minute tickets and gave them all the cash I had with me left (which was barely enough to live a day). My father nonetheless assured me they were going to be fine. After all, he still had his bank accounts, as well as Masako.   
  
"Take care. Daddy. Masako," I told them , trying not to cry. My whole body and soul ached.  
  
My dad looked at me with longing, hesitating to go. "But what about you? Your wounds?"  
  
"I'll be fine. Promise. If you promise you'll take care of each other. And promise me you will be happy."  
  
To my surprise, Masako hugged me tightly. "I will take care of your dad, Kasumi. I will make him happy."  
  
I hugged her back. "Don't try to reach me, " I told both of them. "I don't want to endanger your safety."  
  
My father was going to refuse. "Please, dad. Don't. We will see each other again when.."  
  
There was a sound from behind us. I almost pushed them away to the ship. My dad looked at me one last time. Masako waved at me. They entered the ship together. That was the last time I ever saw my father.  
  
  
I headed away silently as I watched the ship, leave. The people after me arrived. I fought back at them, but my mind was occupied that I was almost hit if it wasn't for someone who stabbed the attacker from behind before he could harm me. Whoever it was, he better mind his own business. I aimed my weapon on him. Because of my tears which had blurred my vision, it took time before I could recognize who he was.  
  
Fujimiya Ran was there. And so were the others. Omi, Ken , Yoji and Erinko. They eliminated all others . I stepped back from Ran, avoiding his eyes. Avoiding all of them. I threw my weapons , stepping away from them. I didn't know why I reacted that way. Maybe because of shame? Of sadness? Of anger? ..or maybe it was love..??  
  
"Kasumi..." Omi tried saying but I ignored him. I continued to cry even harder.  
  
Just then, up on one roof, I saw a graceful figure of a woman. Reira. Though it was dark, I knew she was looking at the ship meaningfully.   
  
"Why did you..why did you..why did you let them go? Why did you let HIM go?" Reira shouted at me, turning her head sharply, her eyes blazing.  
  
Shaking my head, I replied. "I didn't want to, Reira. I swear. But --"  
  
"And that woman..Inoue. Inoue Masako. I'll kill her!"  
  
"Please don't. Let them go. I let him go."  
  
"But I love him. It's not that easy."  
  
"I love him too!" I yelled at her. "Do you think it's easy for me?"  
  
She disappeared without replying, casting one last glance at the ship. I tried explaining to her my point, begging her not to do anything looking like a completely lunatic person until all I could do was wish she'd listen.  
  
I left as well , still refusing to talk or even see any of them, even when all of them except Ran attempted to talk to me and convince me to return.   
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	17. Found

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 17 : Found****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  


I had nowhere to go but to my dwelling place after going to the government hospital to have my shots cured. They questioned me about it but I lied and just gave the simplest explanations.  
  
It seemed rather weird. But I admired my father's love for his woman, and her for his. Repeatedly, I tried assuring myself he was safe and happy. Things just happened so fast. One minute, I was killing, another I was crying. I lost my father before and we had not seen each other for months. And when I saw him again it was time to say goodbye. Wasn't that ironic? My depression seemed to sink deeper and deeper, and I sank down to my bed with waning hopes.   
  
The day after, that afternoon, after a day of beer drinking, I decided to walk out of the dwelling place with a rush of optimism to lift myself out of depression. As I crossed the bridge, the same bridge I had thought of committing suicide, I saw a familiar figure.  
  
It was Nishida Reira.   
  
The setting sun cast a silhouette of her figure, very dainty figure as she held the bridge railings with her soft hands. Her eyes were on the sea. I felt sorry for her. Silently, I came up beside her.  
  
She didn't turn, but knew of my presence. "Let him go, Reira," I told her.  
  
"I already did," she said. "But I love him so." A tear trickled down her cheeks.  
  
I patted her shoulder, and left.  
  
I went back to visit my mother's grave. I hope she would be happy for my father. But there, kneeling down before my mother's grave, I could not help cry. Cried so hard the weather must have pitied me, it rained as equally hard. Reminding me of the time when my father was kidnapped.   
  
I was so drenched, but I didn't care. My head hung, I just cried so hard, clenching my fists on my lap.   
  
A pair of shoes met my sight. When I looked up, I saw the person I always wanted to see.  
  
Fujimiya Ran, on his ugly orange sweatshirt, was standing beside me, looking down at me with compassion. He was soaked as well.  
  
"He's gone," I croaked at him meeting his eyes, tears trickling down my face.  
  
He offered his hand. "Let's go home, Kasumi."  
  
Accepting his hand, I stood up and flung my arms around him, burying my face on his shoulder as I cried.   
  
God, I love the rain.  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	18. Life As It Was

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 18 : Life As It Was****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  


The Inoue syndicate should come to an end. Ran and the rest were given mission to do so, but it should take some time before they could be prepared.  
  
As for me, I came home to find Aya there, waiting. She must really like me to burst into tears in seeing me alive. As Reira had said, she barely remembered anything about that night but her memory about it were improving day by day and she had remembered half of it already. And the flower shop? It seemed the same - the flowers and the people, except for Jun the biker who stopped visiting it. At least according to Kudou's narration as he and Erinko visited me one night. They all welcomed me back. Omi and Yuki both gave me flowers to welcome me and even visited me while I let my shots heal, maybe even grateful to what I did. I told him I only did what I have to, and it was the truth. Both of them had regained living the way they used to. Hidaka was there too, but with no Jun.   
  
Right after I was healed, I decided to start teaching at the dojo once again and continue to finish the last semester of my college. Ran was a little anxious to let me and Aya out of his sight so we decided to go on with our lives after the syndicate had collapsed.   
  
Reira Nishida had disappeared. I had no trace of her and I often wondered what had happened to her after the day I saw her by the bridge.   
  
I visited Sakura a visit at her house. She had been taken out of the hospital but needed to use crouches. It took all the courage to see her again, but the pleasant girl forgave me, and I knew from the way her eyes looked that she meant it from the bottom of her heart.   
  
Before I left, she took my hand as we sat down next to each other and looked up to meet my eyes. "Take care of Aya. I mean Ran."  
  
"I will. Promise."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
I left. Yuki paid me another visit that day. She confessed to me about how she felt for Omi and was asking advice. She knew Omi was hiding something from her and she wanted to know what it was. I just placed a hand on her   
shoulder. "If he doesn't wanna tell you then don't push him. But I have a feeling whatever it is, you'll find out pretty soon." I grinned at her.   
  
She still looked pretty troubled. "I'd like to give him something. Would it be too forward?"  
  
I thought about it. "I don't think so."  
  
She left, looking a lot happier.  
  
  
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


	19. The Final Battle

** Finding Him  
****Chapter 19 :**** The Final Battle****   
by : Sakeena deathstalkker@yahoo.com**

  
Legal disclaimers apply to all anime.  


The time had come when they decided to put an end to the Inoue syndicate. It was on Thursday night, probably a month after my return, that the plan to destroy all of Inoue and the littlest trace of their existence to ashes was conceived. We talked about it at the basement - me, Ran, Kudou, Hidaka, Tsukiyono and Erinko. It was going to be tough job. Though Ran asked me not to go, he really could do nothing when I have decided. "I will do what I want when I want to," as I had put it. He will just have to accept that I was as equally stubborn as he was. The next day will be the Inoue syndicate's last.  
  
The plan was then made. They needed all of what I knew and what Erinko knew and sum up all the information they had in order to weave a good plan, something not just counting on chances. On Friday night, we set forth for the port to execute our plan, all six of us. We will burn the whole port if we had to.  
  
The plan was to cause commotion that will distract the people there. Distracted and in panic, they will have harder time dealing with us. It should make things easier. According to Erinko, the one in the lead was that male guy with long slick hair who attacked us with chains not that long ago. According to her, he was the trusted adviser of Masako's parents and was pushing Masako to continue the job. When she refused to, however, he decided to take over and lock up Masako. This guy, called as Shogo, was heading the Inoue syndicate like a dictator. Who could have thought he was that powerful?  
  
What we should do was split up in a groups of two. One pair would head for the storage house, start fire with the ammunition, the other pair to the 10 storey building and do the same and the last one on the other nearby store of resources. Once everything was in chaos, the fire department and cops would be alerted, they would have to find Shogo and kill him before anything else. That was all enough to collapse the syndicate. Without a leader and without resources, it would be as hard as getting a blind man to see. Plus, the poor workers who would have to die or be arrested for their doing. Shogo would die. Erinko predicted he would be at the building though this prediction was not a hundred percent accurate. He was Shogo. He could be anywhere.  
  
The actual thing was not as easy as we planned, though. Just before we split up, Jun the biker attacked me. Ran tried to help me, but Hidaka who had recognized his woman, tried to help her, and ended up fighting with Ran. Omi tried to get in between while I tried desperately talking senses to Jun. Shogo attacked us, praising Erinko for her good work. Each one of us had been caught off guard with his chains, even Jun.   
  
"What do you mean by this?" Erinko demanded as the chains wrapped all around her, even her arms. She had dropped her weapon down on the ground.  
  
During that time, Kudou was busier watching her than paying attention to the chains holding each one of us.  
  
"I have no more use for you, woman. I hate traitors." Shogo chuckled. Turning to us, he asked smugly more meaningfully at Yoji. "Don't tell me you believe this slut's story? She works for me from the very start and you fell for it!?!"   
  
"What?" Yoji and I asked at the same time staring at Erinko. She can't be. She..she saved my life..  
  
"I didn't work for you from the very beginning. I betrayed you, didn't I?" Erinko reminded him icily.  
  
"Oh sure. But as I had anticipated, you would come crawling back to me. And you did when I threatened to kill your friends here. But now I change my mind. I have no need of you anymore. So you will die, Erinko. With your so-called friends, and even the slut friends of yours, Rika and Midori! You'll all die!" Turning behind him to Ran, he punched him at the stomach, glaring angrily at him. "And you nosy boys. I will kill you all! You should know from the very beginning when you messed with us at the syndicate." He walked to Ken, did the same, to Jun, Omi and Erinko and Yoji until it was me. Yoji didn't look like he felt the pain though. His eyes were glued to Erinko who was looking down at the ground. Even I could not believe it. Erinko...betrayed us...But she did it for her friends, didn't she? But what were we to her?  
  
The face of Shogo before mine told me I better worry about it later. He did the same to me, and my stomach pained, causing me to throw up. "Who are you girl?" He slapped me twice or thrice when I didn't answer. "You are Kanzaki's daughter, aren't you?" He slapped me again. "Where is your father? He kidnapped Masako!"  
  
"He did not kidnap Masako," I corrected him bluntly.   
  
"He did. Do you know where they are?" Another slap when I said nothing. Then he ordered for us to be taken to the basement of the storage house where he claimed we will "breathe our last."  
  
Our plan was ruined.   
  
Some fellows lead us to the dark basement, shoving us to walk. Me, Yoji, Erinko, Omi, Jun, Ken and Ran. We were for some minutes left alone in the darkness with the two others of Erinko's friends, Rika and Midori, tied with chains thrown to the cell we were in. That made nine of us.  
  
Jun was the first to speak up. "Where is your father, Kanzaki?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"What do you mean you don't know?" she demanded.  
  
"You heard me. I said I don't know."  
  
She turned to glare at me. Though it was dark, the hostility in her eyes were clear. "Liar!"   
  
"I said I don't know and I really don't know!" I retorted hotly. How dare that woman accuse me of lying! "Why are after me anyway? What have I done to you?"  
  
"Oh you didn't do anything," she said sarcastically. "Only that father of yours who's ripping my mother apart. And I figured if I could not go after him, I might as well go after the daughter!"  
  
"Well you should know I can't give a damn about my father's affairs!" I snapped at her.   
  
"That's not the answer I want to hear. You should know it took quite long for me to find you, and some more time before I realized it was Kasumi Kanzaki, the daughter of Kanzaki who's stolen my mother away!"  
  
"How can you do this to me, Erinko!" Kudou was asking. It was only then that I realized we were not the only ones shouting at each other. Kudou was blaming her, and while the other two girls were blaming themselves.  
  
"You should know," I began at her using the same sarcasm. "That me and my father are two different people and I can not be responsible for his actions as he can't be for mine! And who is your mother anyway? Tell her my dad's met someone else he's happy to be with her."  
  
"My mother is Nishida Reira," she answered stiffly. "And your dad has stolen her away!"  
  
"Reira?" I repeated.   
  
"Yes. I don't assume you know her. She's a good woman, but all your father did is break her heart."  
  
"I'm sure my father didn't mean it," I said defensively.  
  
"That's no excuse!" she insisted.  
  
"Hey it's your mom's decision to love my father and I think as mature individuals there's nothing much that we can do but respect it, or is there?"  
  
"Ha!"  
  
I sighed shaking my head preparing to say something more. "Will you two quit it?" Hidaka snapped both of us in frustration. "This is not the time and place to fight among ourselves!" We were all cut short when the door opened to let in a flash of light too bright for us that we narrowed our eyes.   
  
Some men came in, probably to do us the favor of ending our lives. But not that first. They tried making me answer their questions and using their might to force something out of me. In a short span of five minutes I was sprawled down to the ground, taking all their beatings, coughing blood.   
  
"I said I don't know!" I shouted at them. A kick in my stomach. Better not say anything. I didn't know how it happened, but the others began to resist, headed by Ran. And they succeeded in getting out of their chains to fight of the guys beating me.  
  
Blood was all over the floor I was lying down on when it was over. Ran freed me of the chains using his sword. I didn't know how he got it back, but the others got their weapons too. Omi tossed to me my daggers and guns which were rid of me when we were thrown in.  
  
"How are you feeling?" he asked me.  
  
"It hurts of course," I answered, holding my stomach. I tried to stand up on my own but I ended up leaning on him anyway.  
  
"Stay here," he advised me, but I did not listen to him. That syndicate - all of them will pay.  
  
"I'll do what I want when I want to," I told him firmly. He had no option but to let me be.  
  
We decided to go on with the plan. The nine of us split up into four groups. I really could not give a damn about Jun or Erinko, whether they'd betray us or do something stupid, but all I could do was, really, just trust them. It was all just trust.  
  
Kudou, quiet and fuming, went with Erinko anyway, while Jun and Hidaka separated themselves, and three others - Rika, Midori and Omi remained together. As for me, I was stuck with Ran who kept his eyes on me. I could not really care less who I went with, because no matter what, I will get Shogo. If killing him insured the safety and happiness of my father - not to mention getting my sweet revenge, I will do it and there was no doubt about that.   
  
The storage building with the basement was our destination. Unlike my previous visits, there were no folks in white working, only several armed people guarding it. There was no Shogo either. While we intended to set it on fire, we realized we were spared of the hard work : there were time bombs set to go off in a few minutes. The people guarding, it however, was doomed to be Shogo's next victims, apparently ignorant of their master's treachery. Shogo, judging from his ways, never valued his employees' loyalty and hard work. All that mattered to him were himself and his own personal goals. Nonetheless, it was too late when I came upon these realizations, and all that was left was barely a minute, thanks to Ran who noticed it, and yes, who saved me again, dragging me along with him as we ran for our lives. Five seconds later, just as we stumbled outside, some fifteen meters away, the whole storage building exploded. What shocked me was to find all other buildings surrounding it, all set to go off and had set on fire exactly at the same time. What about the others..?  
  
The impact sent us reeling down on the ground. Atop of me, Ran had covered me with his body to protect me. Even the nearby mini-storage house, barely five meters away was not spared and had exploded. It was good fireworks, no doubt but my heart was beating wildly to even appreciate its beauty.   
  
He helped me stand up. Seeing my face, he assured me. "They can't be gone." I stared at him doubtfully. But he was firm. "Trust them."  
  
And I did.   
  
Ran's eyes were somewhere. I admired him for still being able to think straight even amidst all just what happened and what was happening. Or he was just so used to it. "Shogo. He's there."  
  
I followed his gaze. A large ship, seemingly a carrier vessel was slowly moving slowly away from the port. Of course. Impulsively, we went there using a little boat we found docked nearby, and my mind let go of worrying for the rest of them temporarily. Now we had to deal with Shogo -- just the two of us.   
  
There were no guards there, unlike before. Having guards would draw suspicion, aside from the fact that Shogo had betrayed his guards and killed his loyal workers himself, except probably those other more useful workers of his. The upper floors of the ship was designed just like the one for tourists, but looking closely and deeper down the lower floors, it was proving itself worthy of suspicion. Ran's hunch was right. Some more floors down, was where we were compelled to use our fists once again. We hit them unconscious if not dead and wore their clothes, then we were off to find the devil himself.   
  
We need not find hard. In fact, it was easier. Just some more down were the folks in white, and there the setting was even quite similar back to the basement : some folks in white in the middle of their busy work, some guards left, guarding the place.   
  
However, some minutes later, after strolling around as a 'native', we drew suspicion and an armed guy asked what we were doing at the basement. "Get back there," he barked at us, shoving at us with his gun. Obviously, Ran was irritated by his mere presence, and so used his sword on him. Then we were off the hook temporarily.   
  
But it was just a quick span of time. Not a minute later, somebody spotted us hiding the armed guy's fallen body, alerted everybody else, and not even ten minutes later - voila! We were surrounded, leaving us not much of a choice but to fight back, use our real strength to kill them. It was bloody struggle, but we had to do what we must.   
  
Later, we realized we had companions on board - Kudou, Erinko, Omi and Midori. They had minor injuries, but unlike Jun and Rika who had stayed on the shore with Ken. Omi was able to get his hands on a computer and was using it to look for Shogo while Midori acted as a look over.  
  
  
With Kudou and Erinko, we managed to defeat the rest down and cause turmoil for those unarmed workers at the basement. But it was just the beginning - the familiar groups of Shogo and his five to seven men came live to deal with us.   
  
  
"Welcome aboard!" he greeted us cheerfully, holding his whip-like chains. The battle began. The lab, and most the folks in white were inevitably drawn and killed. In two minutes, the whole place was a mess.   
  
What he gave us was less easy one. In fact, considering the numbers, it was quite unfair. But as they say, it's in worth, not in number, and we were ready to prove it.   
  
Their chains were lashing at us in all directions. Constantly, we were being caught up in it, but with each other's help we were able to free. Omi and Midori came to warn us that he was able to play with the bombs but was unable to reprogram it - it will set off in half an hour with others setting off in a quicker time. However both of them were dragged in to the furious battle going on.   
  
I had Shogo first, but his chains snaked up all around my neck, choking me until Ran came to my rescue. This action proved something to the clever Shogo and while I was on my knees, gasping for breath at a corner, he decided to use me against Ran. His chains caught me all up, threatening to crush my bones until Ran gave up his sword.  
  
Some minor bombs surrounding us had gone off just as Omi had warned. Erinko and Yoji were another battle with the remaining of Shogo's men when fire began to spread out. Meanwhile , the battle between Ran and Shogo remained even until the chains got me and Ran threw his sword aside.   
  
"No!" I tried shouting at him. The chains were too tight. But I could care less. I only wanted Shogo to pay for his crimes, and I could die doing just that.  
  
The fire had surrounded the three of us. Shogo was laughing madly while Ran kept his composure, staring back at the lanky guy furiously.   
  
"Let go of her," he ordered Shogo sternly.   
  
Shogo went on laughing, not letting me go. I was running out of air. I could not even speak.   
  
"I said let go of her," Ran said, with more authority this time.   
  
"I will, I will," Shogo said with his same wicked smile. He released me quickly so that his chains could catch Ran. I fell on the ground, gasping for breath, very weakly as if all my energy had been absorbed from me by the chains.  
  
Ran was caught up his chains, and the guy laughed more and more menacingly. I tried clearing my mind, taking deep breaths. My chest felt weak, my knees wobbled, but I tried thinking anyway for a way to save Ran just as he saved me. Then there was Ran's sword, thrown aside only some meters from me. I had not used a sword for a while, but since I was a kendo teacher, I knew I could still help somehow. Without being noticed, I crawled to it, and when my hand had grabbed the hilt, I stood up quickly with all my remaining strength, facing him and slashed his chains. He saw me too late, but reacted violently. The remaining of his chains got me, but I managed to release Ran. I threw him his sword. Another explosion came from behind Shogo.   
  
"Look! We'll all die! All die!" Shogo was shouting madly. He roared with laughter, his chains still around me.   
  
"You'll die alone!" Ran retorted, then slashed his chains. I was released. When his chains had been completely torn useless, he resulted to his last weapon : a sword like that of Ran's. They battled furiously. Another explosion.  
  
"Kasumi! Aya!" I heard a voice from above me. It was Omi with Yoji, Erinko and Midori. "Let's go! This boat will sink!!" Omi was shouting.  
  
Another set of armed men came from behind them before I could respond. They had no choice but to fight back.  
  
I turned my head to the two battling figures. The fire was getting bigger and bigger every minute, smoke was blurring my sight.  
  
The images around me suddenly began to swirl. Oh no. not now, Reira. Not now. But Reira was furious of something.   
  
I screamed at the top of my lungs. Some glass tubes shattered at the intensity of my scream.   
  
What are you up to, Reira? I tried talking to her. Can you do this some other  
time?  
  
You..woman..I hate you!  
  
I know.  
  
I'll kill you.  
  
Why?  
  
You..you..you made me..  
  
Made you what Reira?  
  
Your heart, Kanzaki. Your heart is cursed.   
  
I don't get it.  
  
Your heart is cursed! Your raping my whole mind and body..  
  
What? This time I was so confused. There she was using her extra-ordinary ability to use me. And then..she would accuse me of the crime she was behind of. The nerve that woman had.   
  
You're cursed. And you're done for. I will kill you!!  
  
Will you at least tell me why?   
  
You wanna know why, Kanzaki? Because I'm in love with Ran Fujimiya. I love him to death. And I don't want you in the way.  
  
Though I did not completely understood anything, I was shocked. But Reira was too angry to let me just stay shocked. She was serious. She wanted me dead. I was still able to see, blurry vision, but my body did obey only Reira's orders. My hand began feeling for my weapons and found a dagger kept in my waist. Ran. I need you now!!   
  
Omi and Yoji was shouting from above but I could not even turn my head to look at them. Ran and Shogo was still engaged in the battle. Another bomb had set off. I tried fighting off Reira, but my hands..there was blood all over it. I had wounded myself. And it was not just gonna stop there.   
  
I was sitting up, holding the dagger before my chest.   
  
"What are you doing, Kasumi?" I heard Yoji shout. I could not answer. "Oh no. I think it's happening again!" I heard him tell Omi. Then I heard some stuffs falling, missing me by inches then I was not able to hear their voices again.  
  
Ran! I screamed out in my mind. I realized I didn't just think of it. I did shout. Nonetheless I tried fighting it.  
  
The ceiling seemed to be falling down on us suddenly, probably because of the bombs. I managed to lose the dagger. I was walking. I could not see where. It was already so hot. I knew wherever I go there would be flames.  
  
  
The whole place was littered. I found myself limping my way out. I heard no one and saw no one. Except for a figure sprawled on the ground. I could no longer grasp of the time. It felt as though I was asleep and had just woken up. on the other hand, it felt just like a dream. All a dream. There was this wave of deja vu and I could not stop my mind from thinking if it had happened before.   
  
The figure was that of Shogo's. But Ran? Where is he? Desperately, I veered my head to all directions trying to catch a glimpse of him but no Ran. I walked to Shogo, hoping to find Ran somewhere near him. I only saw the glass tube filled with a green liquid nearby, its mouth the level of the floor I was on.   
  
"Kasumi!" I heard a voice calling me.   
  
"Ran!" I shouted back, recognizing his voice. So he won. God, I was so relieved. Accidentally I stepped on Shogo's lifeless hand. I saw Ran's figure, wading through the flames towards me.  
  
He came nearer, but it seemed forever. Until he was barely 5 feet away. But something went wrong. It all happened so fast. Again I had lost my guard. I felt a stab to my side. From behind me.  
  
Shogo's laugh. No. It was Reira's laugh.  
  
"Die, Kanzaki. Die!" Shogo was laughing wildly. But it was Reira. Shogo was gone.   
  
Shogo's arms came around me, and he brought me to the nearby glass container filled with chemicals , strapped my hands on a metal plate which he pushed to sink deep down to the glass. The metal plate sank along with me.   
  
I saw a part of the handle of the metal plate wrecked by the center, letting lose some wires. Oh no. The liquid was up to my chest. If I wont die by the chemicals or by drowning, I will surely die by the high voltage. I tried wriggling free but all my strength had dried up. Also, my wound by my side was hurting. I felt my blood mix with the liquid in the tube.  
  
Another battle had begun. Between Ran and Shogo. Or should I say Ran and Reira. What I did not get was if Reira was truly in love with Ran, why would she want to kill him?   
  
The answer came to me a little later, as though Reira answering my question. She'd rather see him dead that see him with me. Of course, she would love to be with Ran, but that was far from possible. She could not even penetrate through his mind. What more, his heart?   
  
I tried using my mind to talk to Reira. Another several minutes, the boat would go boom. If she can't spare me, won't she at least spare Ran? But it was useless. Or I was not concentrating very well. I saw some large pieces of something fall from the ceiling as another explosion took place. Before I was completely submerged, I managed to shout to Ran. "Leave now!" I shouted at him. Omi and Yoji reappeared from the upper floor, shouting the same thing. Then it was hard to open my eyes in the liquid. But I knew he will win.  
  
  
  
I had the same dream. About flowers, beautiful flowers. A rose. A red rose. I never liked roses. In fact, I hated roses. Especially red ones. It was the color of the blood. But probably I loved it all along. Because I always dreamed about it. Or at least, it seemed so. I never noticed it before. Because they all seemed the same. Flowers.   
  
I felt something at my mouth. There was suddenly some movements. Something tugging at my wrists as though trying to let it go. I tried one more time opening my eyes to find him. He was breathing to me and was trying to tear the straps. His kiss had saved me again. Then he rose up to the surface level to breathe again. Oh no. The loose wires. Only some two feet up the level of the liquid. When he sank down again to breathe to me, I tried wriggling him away. Leave or the two us dies, I wanted to tell him. And there's no reason for both us to die. But he did not listen, though I knew he understood what I meant. He went on breathing air to me. I'll do what I want when I want to, he replied.   
  
But the straps..they were too tight. He slashed it with his sword. It might not work because we were submerged in this liquid. But he did not stop. I kept my eyes on the loose wires above our heads. The electricity was clearly visible with blue sparks. Several seconds later, before the wires could reach the surface of the liquid, he had succeeded in letting me go and brought me up with him to the surface to breathe. Coughing, I was gasping for breath. He tried bringing me up first then he followed.   
  
Yoji was some floors above us, but he was looking down, leaning to the railings. "Kasumi! Ran! Let's go! The boat is sinking! 2 more minutes before the final explosions!"   
  
Still out of breath, I was sprawled on the ground. I looked at all around me. There was water already in the lower floor. Ran stood up and pulled me along with him. It was one of those times I felt so damn weak and helpless I hated myself.   
  
But Ran was determined to get out alive. I could not help admiring him for a moment.   
  
He tried carrying me, but I, totally giving up, stopped him both my hands laid out before me. "Why don't you just go and leave me?" I asked him.  
  
Stopping, he spun at me and glared. Raising his hand, he slapped me across the face. Hard. At first, I was at loss of words as I regained myself. Then I stared back at him angrily. Here I was, in totally bad condition, in pain, worried about him to death, and he slaps me? The heck with him. Fujimiya Ran could be the most insensitive jerk ever to walk the face of the earth. "Whadda hell did you do that for??" I demanded irately.   
He took one look at me then turned away. "That's better."  
  
WTF?! He's playing with my feelings!! I thought, ready to explode. But the sudden surge of anger pumped me with new energy, and I could say, even new hope. Ran was not so bad after all. While I was reacting, he took the opportunity to grab me and carry me out of the collapsing _and_ sinking _and_ soon-to-explode _and_ still-on-fire boat. It just all happened at the blink of an eye. In no time, we were by the dock, with the others. Ran had slumped me down on the ground and he laid next to me, both of us drenched wet all over, gasping for breath, too drained off of strength.  
  
We had to drag ourselves farther from the boat though. Omi had estimated it would be a really big explosion, and he was right. With each other's help, we walked further away from the boat and from the rest of what used to be the Inoue Syndicate HQ.  
  
Ken was wounded in saving the two girls. However, he refused to leave without us. He wanted to stick with us to the end, if that was the least he could do. Jun and Rika both slumped Ken's arms around their shoulders, assisting him. Yoji was helping Erinko, Omi and Midori helping both of us. The boat exploded. The water splashed wildly.  
  
We barely noticed it before, but it was morning. The sun was rising, its light shimmering beautifully across the now pacified sea. It was morning. A new, beautiful morning awaiting each one of us.   
  
We stopped for a while to gaze at the rising sun in complete silence. Everything looked so much calmer as though nothing happened. The gentle wind rocked us gently, swaying our hair.  
  
A figure came from the far end. A girl. Ohno Yuki carrying a bouquet of flowers. She was smiling, tears in her eyes. Beside her walked Fujimiya Aya. Both of them were smiling. And crying. So beautiful like the sun.  
  
For every dark nights, there is a beautiful morning that awaits each one of us.   
  
  
**April 2000 © Sakeena **


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